~ An Open Letter to My Children ~
Today I am pondering in time to the middle of September 2011. Bev came home from church and said that our Relief Society president wanted a picture of me for our stake women’s conference the next spring and that we had an appointment on Thursday. I had no idea of what to expect or any details.That Thursday was a beautiful, sunny day. We drove west to a beautiful Victorian home where we were welcomed by a sweet gray-haired lady sitting on the porch. The stake relief society president joined us and invited us to step through a vine-covered archway into the garden in the back of the home.
The view of the garden through the archway was breathtaking, with every kind of shrub and flower you could imagine. We strolled through the beautiful garden almost afraid to speak as the Spirit was so strong. It felt as if we had just stepped into “Heaven.” As we walked through another vine-covered arbor we saw the special part of the garden where I "spent the day with Jesus."
As we moved forward, I saw him, a beautiful man dressed in white heavenly robes. He was holding a beautiful and very naked tiny baby boy and was cradling him with his love. They were looking into each other’s eyes as if to say farewell before the babe left for his earthly home. Next, we watched as a beautiful pregnant girl knelt as if in prayer. As she was kneeling, Jesus knelt beside her. It was a special moment and all was quiet in the garden.
Then the photographer came to me and asked me where in this garden I would like to be. I looked around at all the beauty that surrounded me and said wherever they thought would be best. They took us back to an area that was surrounded with more beautiful shrubbery and blossoms with a fountain of running water. They gave me a quaint old chair and encouraged me to get comfortable.
I was looking around at the beautiful scene around me and the camera was snapping, snapping. They brought me a large bouquet of white roses and again snap, snap went the camera. Then….a hand was placed on my shoulder and there he was. I looked up at him and asked him if he had come to take me home. He said, “Yes.”
As he looked at me, his face was all aglow, and so was mine. I could feel the Spirit so strongly at that moment in time. Then he causally knelt in front of me. It was so peaceful in that place of beauty with my heavenly brother there with me to comfort me and make me feel at ease. My thoughts were of that special moment in time when this will really happen. He placed his hand in mine and spoke softly, letting me know that he will always be there for me and for me to be at peace.
I have always had a strong testimony of the truthfulness of Christ and our heavenly home and our Heavenly Father. This day was a spiritual blessing that made me feel as if time had stopped and I had just stepped into Heaven for a short moment.
I have always had a strong testimony of the truthfulness of Christ and our heavenly home and our Heavenly Father. This day was a spiritual blessing that made me feel as if time had stopped and I had just stepped into Heaven for a short moment.
I am so thankful for this special moment in time and wanted you to know that He will always be there for you and that He wants you to be at peace. I love you with all my heart!
