Last week, as we were preparing for the Brigham City temple dedication (the first time all of our children would be able to attend), we talked about the word “Hosanna” and its significance in the process of a temple dedication. The Spirit was really strong, and the experience left me reflecting often over the next several days on the plea embedded in the word “Hosanna,” — how, when we wave our white handkerchiefs during the Hosanna Shout, we are literally crying out “Please save us!” to our Father and our Savior.

This was the word that the Jews cried out during Jesus’ triumphal entry.

It was the word that the Nephites declared as they fell at the Savior’s feet when He appeared to them after His resurrection, as recorded in the Book of Mormon.

It’s the word that is taking on more personal meaning as I’m passing through one of “those” times in my life…when I realize how desperately I need divine help. In beautiful ways, God is letting me know — as He always has, in one way or another — that He is there.

One of the ways I’ve felt heaven’s awareness of me recently was to bring to remembrance this talk by Richard Cracroft.

Brother Cracroft died last week. I was sad to hear of his passing. I didn’t know him and had never met him, but felt as though he was a friend. Actually, he felt more like an angel in my life.

His name was emblazoned on my mind when he gave that BYU devotional talk in the summer of 1993; it was clearly a message from heaven for me then. The story of Ingrid Olsen, in particular, moved me.

Imagine my surprise and wonder when a few years ago, at another one of “those” times, Ingrid Olsen’s story from Brother Cracroft’s talk just “happened” to be shared in my Sunday School class. I knew, again, that the story had been shared for me. (How did I know? Elder David A. Bednar has given the key to recognizing such divine interventions: “Some may count this experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.” The timing and the personal connection I had with that story let me know that my Father was there, reaching out, urging me gently onward.)

And so, this weekend, as I listened yet again to Ingrid’s story (and Brother Cracroft’s impassioned delivery of his talk), I was delighted and amazed to remember that he used the word “Hosanna” plentifully throughout. He described moments like those I have experienced with this talk as “Hosanna Moments,”

those transcendent moments in our lives when, without warning, we are overwhelmed by a close encounter with eternity, a surprise of the spirit—those moments when, while engaged in the temporal rhythms of our daily and earth- encrusted lives, comfortably duped by familiar routines, we are suddenly brought face-to-face with the holy, swept by the Spirit of God into a transcendent reality, overwhelmed by undeniable evidence of a literal Father in Heaven who knows you and knows me and is somehow interested and involved in our lives.

Thank you, Brother Cracroft, for being an instrument of such Hosanna Moments for me. With you, I testify that such Hosanna Moments are real, that our God and our Savior are real and oh, so very aware of us and involved in our lives.

I pray that God will bless your family and others who loved you with such moments as they mourn your loss.

The post Hosanna Moments appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Many thanks to Juliana for this beautiful post. You can read more from at her blog, Skipping Past Cornfields, and in another recently-published essay entitled “Loving Away the Fear.“

I have decided that I love middle age…that is, aside from the need for bifocals and the figure that seems determined to sag no matter how many hours I spend lifting weights. I love watching my youngest child learn to read at the same time that her older brother grows into a man while serving as a missionary. I love moving past the honeymoon phase and the period of disillusionment to reach the beautiful reality of a mature marriage. I love thinking about my next career and mentoring others as they begin to discover their wings. And I love figuring out who I am now that I have less to prove than I did as a student or as a corporate professional.

Who am I? I am a writer, or at least I aspire to be one. I am a teacher. I am a wife and mother. And I am a believer.

Why am I Mormon? I came by my religion the easy way. I inherited it from folks like my Great-Great Grandmother Decker who crossed the plains as an almost single mother and helped found Parowan, Utah. But my faith, the reason I stay? Now that raises a different question entirely. My wilderness hikes and forest prayers have never led me to burning bushes or shining pillars of light. No angel ever stopped my tracks on the road to Damascus.

And yet, like the Savior’s companions in a storm-tossed boat, I have received the witness of peace. I have read the scriptures, seeking for wisdom, and marveled as words once spoken to prophets took new life in direct answer to my pleading. I have knelt in prayer and felt the warmth of the Comforter envelop me. I have taken the advice of the prophet Alma to experiment upon the word (Alma 32:27), acting on subtle promptings, and I have watched my faith grow as the Lord took my hand.

I have a close friend who challenges my faith. She cannot fathom how I can accept the history of polygamy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or support a priesthood to which I cannot be ordained. I have thought a great deal about that. Every Mormon woman at some point has to grapple with her relationship to these issues of faith and others like them, and unfortunately epiphanies come with a built-in “non-transferrable” clause. God knows the value of a good test of faith, and pioneer ancestry hardly makes one immune to the need for conversion.

For me, that conversion has come in stages. As a young adult, fresh out of the comfortable arms of home, I read scriptures on a mountainside in Wyoming and recognized a tender mercy in the magnificent double rainbow that appeared just when I needed a creative “hello” from my Heavenly Father. As a young widow, I came to the quiet realization that God’s plan of happiness was true. The plan became more than merely a lesson taught by young missionaries or enthusiastic Sunday School teachers. We really do live again. Families can last forever.

And here, in my middle age, I am beginning to learn to trust in God’s love for me, for all of His children. I have seen too many prayers answered to claim coincidence. Joseph Smith once said, “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.” (Joseph Smith-History 1:25)

While the angel Moroni very kindly lets me sleep at night, God has sent me numerous angels from all walks of life. He continues to supply the wisdom that I lack. I cannot deny that. I am a believer.

Juliana Wallace
Chatham, Illinois

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Here are several other links to help explain more about our beliefs. Jesus Christ is central to all our beliefs about the blessings available to us after death. Were it not for Him, there would be no heaven, no hope, no life after death (resurrection/immortality), no possibility to repent and be cleansed from sin, no possibility for eternal life.

Please feel free to ask questions if you have any come to mind.

Mormon.org – God’s plan of happiness

Mormon belief about life after death

What was Barbara Walters referring to when she referenced the three heavens? Unlike most Christian or other religions, Mormons don’t believe in a binary of a heaven and a hell. We believe that because of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people who have ever lived on the earth or who ever will live on the earth will be resurrected, will live again. And we believe because of Jesus Christ, all will obtain a degree of post-mortal ‘glory.’ Read more about our belief in Three Degrees of Glory, or three Kingdoms of Glory.

Immortality — living again after death through the resurrection — is a free gift to all. Eternal life is what our Father hopes for all His children, but whether or not we obtain such an existence depends on our faith and choices and the reception of saving ordinances. (This is why Mormons believe in doing proxy ordinance work for those who have died – so everyone has the opportunity to accept or reject the ordinances (such as baptism).)

Barbara Walters also mentioned Mormon temples. You can read more about them here.

Scripture References

1 Corinthians 15:40-42

 

Revelation 20:12

 

Alma 11:42-45

 

3 Nephi 27:14

 

Doctrine and Covenants 88:20-39; 130:18-19

The post Mormon belief in life after death / heaven in 3 levels appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Death and Dying  – by Rachael C. McKinnon

Editor’s note: We’re grateful to Rachael Carver McKinnon for today’s guest post. Rachael holds a BA in Humanities and an MBA from Brigham Young University. She currently lives in Draper, Utah with her husband, Greg. When she isn’t keeping up with one of her four children, she loves road biking and lap swimming. 

You can read more from Rachael at other sites here (post on motherhood) and here (post on temples).

At some point in our lives, we will all pass through the ripple effects of physical death. Whether this death is our own or watching a loved one pass away, the weight of the loss is universal. How does one overcome the grief and separation that comes about through death? How does one find strength to keep going when the burden sometimes feels so heavy?

Most often when death occurs, there is an immediate need to know if you will ever see them again. Where has that person gone and can I still feel close to them? As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called Mormons), I am so grateful to have answers to these questions.

Latter-day Saints believe in the same core Christian principles that teach in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His atonement and His life, we come to understand that we also have the chance to live again with our families and loved ones. This life is not the end.  There is infinitely more beyond the final veil of mortality and that death is only temporary.

Elder Robert D. Hales, an apostle in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has illustrated this with a story of a close acquaintance.

A few months ago I had the opportunity of visiting a man who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. As a devoted priesthood holder, he was confronted with the realities of mortality. He found strength, however, in the example of the Savior, who said, in the Lord’s Prayer, “After this manner therefore pray ye: … Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9–10).

My friend took courage in knowing that as Jesus was required to endure great pain and agony in the Garden of Gethsemane while completing the atoning sacrifice, He uttered the words, “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42).  My friend came to accept the phrase “Thy will be done” as he faced his own poignant trials and tribulations.

A more unique view of the LDS faith is the belief that families exist forever. The relationships you cultivate with siblings, parents and spouse has the potential to continue beyond this life. In Latter-day Saint temples, couples are married and families are blessed (often referred to as ‘sealed’) together so that death cannot take away the wonderful ties that are so lovingly created during our mortal existence. This knowledge has always provided a great deal of comfort for me.

When I was four years old, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. She subsequently passed away three years later. It has been almost thirty years since her death, and yet I still live with a daily, peaceful reassurance that I will see her again. She is not far away and our relationship has not ended. In fact, throughout my life, there have been several choice moments where I have felt her nearby, encouraging and supporting me as I have made the good decisions and choices that will help us be reunited when life is over.

The scriptures often talk about those on the other side that we cannot see, but are still there regardless. When the Syrian were at the gates of Jerusalem and the King of Israel thought destruction was imminent, the prophet Elisha instructed him to look with better eyes on the hilltops. He said to him, “Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)  While this account refers to a great battle, I know for certain that those close to us who have passed on are just as active in our daily battles on our behalf as those spoken of in the Old Testament.

In the meantime, life can be incredibly hard and full of sorrow as we struggle through days of longing for the deceased person.  It is comforting to know that God is mindful or our pain. In the Doctrine and Covenants (another book of scripture in the Mormon church), Jesus Christ declares, “Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die.” (42: 45)  How reassuring it is to have Him recognize that the love and bonds we create here on this earth can be eternal. God is happy when we ‘live together in love’ with each other and His plan is focused on keeping those relationships forever.

I have a very reassuring belief that my family will always be together. While circumstances in life might call upon us to be separated for a season – if one must face death before the other – it is consoling to know that it is not permanent. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can live with our families and loved ones beyond this life. We can receive strength to endure those times of grief, knowing that loving reunions lay ahead.

The post Mormon beliefs about death and dying appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

The message of Easter is one of hope. No matter what our pain, no matter what our burdens, no matter what we have faced or will yet face, because of Jesus Christ, we can have hope!

Because Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, we, too, will all live again. Resurrection is a free gift given to all who have lived or who will yet live on the earth. The sting of death can be swallowed up in Christ. “Jesus Christ…is the Son of God, … and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.” (Mormon 7:5)”[T]here is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” (Mosiah 16:8)

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins when we repent.

Because of His infinite Atonement, not only can we repent when we make mistakes, but through His miraculous power, our hearts and characters can be changed. With His help, we can overcome weakness and sin. With His help, we  can become more like Him.

Because of Jesus Christ, we can also receive heavenly help and comfort through God’s Holy Spirit — in times of trial, doubt, sorrow, betrayal, loneliness, fear, when facing death or illness (of self or loved ones). Because of what Jesus suffered for our sake, we know we are never alone.

All that is good comes because of Jesus Christ — all that is good now, or all the good that can come as we hold on and keep moving forward — we can have hope because of Jesus Christ. “[I]n Christ there should come every good thing.” (Moroni 7:22) He can give us “beauty for ashes,” as Isaiah declared.

As Jeffrey R. Holland stated, Jesus is our High Priest of Good Things to Come:

Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. Moroni spoke of it in the Book of Mormon as “hope for a better world.” ²For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead. It is enough just to know we can get there, that however measured or far away, there is the promise of “good things to come.”

My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christoffers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the “light that is endless, that can never be darkened.” ³ It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, “What light through yonder window breaks?” It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. ⁴ To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His “more excellent ministry” with a future of “better promises.” He is your “high priest of good things to come.”

The post Jesus is Risen! Easter and Hope appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

The shock was evident — both on her face, and in her voice — as she hung up the phone.

“Sister F. just died,” my friend said.

My friend was Sister F.’s visiting teacher, and the Relief Society President had just called to share the news. (Visiting teachers are often among the first to be informed of things like this.)

And now I — who just happened to be in my friend’s home as her visiting teacher — was part of this poignant moment. We reflected on how fragile life is. (No one expected Sister F. to go; it was her husband whose health was failing.) I couldn’t help but think of my former visiting teaching companion who had sat by me month after month, sharing messages of faith and chatting on this same couch with our friend. This companion died a year and a half ago. I still miss her fiercely.

The following Sunday, our Relief Society President stood and tearfully held up a plant (pictured above). Her visiting teacher had given her the plant when she was first called to be our Relief Society President, as a show of support at an overwhelming time. (Every local congregation has a Relief Society President, who has a great deal of responsibility, caring for the temporal and spiritual welfare of all the women in their congregations.)

Guess who was the visiting teacher who showed such loving support?

It was Sister F.

As our Relief Society President talked tenderly of Sister F. and the love she had shown, I couldn’t help but reflect on how women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often present to help and support each other at the crossroads of life. It’s not unusual for visiting teachers and/or other Mormon women in Relief Society to bring meals in when a woman has a baby. Mormon women are there to help families plan funerals when loved ones pass, and they help prepare and serve the traditional family meal after a funeral. (I’ll never forget the impact such service had on me after my grandma died.)

As with Sister F. giving our Relief Society President the plant at a time of transition in her life, visiting teachers work to be aware of the lives of the sisters they serve and try to offer help and support and encouragement.

I have several recent examples from my own life of the way Relief Society sisters seek to serve. I was sick for much of the summer, and I’m facing a surgery here in a few weeks. Through this time, I have received meals and phone calls and emails. Because of my health, I’m unable to attend my ward (mornings are very difficult, so I attend a ward in the afternoon). I’m not sure if that is the reason why (I miss being with my ward family!), but for my birthday, a woman in the ward — I’m not sure who — invited sisters to send email messages of love. I received around two dozen email messages. (And I still have a raincheck for a lunch date with my visiting teachers once I get an appetite back!) Another friend has done so many little things here and there that I feel forever in her debt.

And I could go on.

Sometimes we as Mormons joke about the casseroles and jell-o that are often passed around as Mormon women serve. (Elder Holland, one of our apostles, quipped about this recently, too). To be sure, these things are part of Mormon culture that have come to have some comical quality for us and others.

But, I share Elder Holland’s thoughts:

Smile, if you will, about our traditions, but somehow the too-often unheralded women in this church are always there when hands hang down and knees are feeble. ¹ They seem to grasp instinctively the divinity in Christ’s declaration: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these … , ye have done it unto me.” 

At another time, I want to talk about the way that Mormon men have used their priesthood service to bless the lives of others, so this notion of help and kindness is certainly not limited to Mormon women.

But I’ll always remember the quiet yet powerful thoughts that came to me as the Relief Society President held up that plant. I think it very significant that Mormon women make it a point to be at significant crossroads of life, particularly those that have deep doctrinal meaning for us as Latter-day Saints. As we support each other as new life enters the world, and seek to mourn with those who mourn the loss of someone who has left the world, I believe we are doing the Lord’s work. I believe it’s about a lot more than casseroles and jell-o.

I also believe that as we seek to be there at other moments in each others’ lives, I think we can sense — and share — the kind of love Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ, have for us. And our hearts can be knit together more.

I’m grateful to be a part of a church that encourages this kind of watchcare. I know we as Mormons don’t have the corner on what it means to serve and care for others, and I know we could often do better, but I do think the home and visiting teaching programs are pretty amazing at the core. I’m not sure we who are Latter-day Saints always realize what an impact it can all have.

Reflecting on this makes me want to be a better visiting teacher. It also makes me want to be a better neighbor and friend to others who may not be part of my faith. We all need to know people care.

What have others done to help you in times of need? How could others better help you in your needs? If you are Mormon, what has the home/visiting teaching program meant to you?  

The post Mormon Women: At the crossroads of life through visiting teaching appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

You know how sometimes you read a comment that leads you to a blog that leads to another blog? That’s what happened to me last night, and I found this post:

Hard Times Don’t Last Forever

I only had a few minutes to peruse their blog, but it’s clear this young couple has been through a lot. (The young husband had a stroke in 2008.)

But in this post, the author (the wife, Summer) wasn’t writing about their own trials, but about the tragic losses she witnessed another family go through, including an unexpected death. Have you ever witnessed something like that and asked, “Why does God let bad things happen?”

Summer shares some of her thoughts as she wrestled with some of these questions.

My heart aches for the families involved in these situations. Why would anyone be asked to go through this? Is God punishing them or teaching them a lesson? The answers for me have come as I read the scriptures and prayed to the Lord asking him why.  Death is not the end of families.  And the Lord does not punish us by taking them away from us for a time. And like those involved in the accident, we are left for a small moment but then the Lord enfolds us in the arms of his mercy. I am adding a link to a video clip on overcoming tragedy and another on the belief that families can be together forever.

The post Forward with Faith: “Hard Times Don’t Last Forever” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Chris Yokoyama [known by his friends as “Beans”] was with two of his friends when their car crashed and Chris died. Darren Haslam, 18, was driving the car and escaped mostly unharmed. The other passenger, Christopher Evanson, 18, received a severe head injury and was in a coma.

“When Chris Yokoyama died, it was really tough for me,” says Darren. “It was tough that I had nothing wrong with me, just a fractured elbow, and they—one was in critical condition just trying to survive and one had passed away.” ~from “He Wanted to be a Missionary“~

This story is one of tragedy, but also one of faith and of how an understanding of God’s plan of happiness is an anchor in our lives to help us through trials and pain. Read about how seminary (an LDS Church scriptural education program for youth) helped all the youth who were affected by this tragedy — both Mormon youth and also many of their friends not of our faith.

“A lot of these kids were lost,” says Darren. “A lot of them came to the seminary building, and they just broke down. I think they felt the love of Jesus Christ. They started to understand the Atonement.”

The testimonies of these young people is inspiring. Through this difficult experience, they share how their faith in Jesus Christ and in His gospel have grown.

Christopher Evanson feels that he has a stronger testimony as a result of his experiences. “I just love our Savior so very much. I felt His constant love, and I built a love for Him within me. I forgot a lot of things up in the hospital, but not once did I ever forget how true the gospel is, and how much I love my family. Every part of the gospel makes sense and is true.

And, in this video from youth.lds.org (also on Mormon Messages for Youth) hear more from Darren about how he faced the survivor’s guilt, the grief, the confusion, and the other emotions he felt after this horrible accident. Darren shares how he went to God with many questions and much pain — and how, over time, he received poignant and powerful answers.

These youth reinforce some basic, important Mormon beliefs. God knows each of us. Life has a purpose. Death is not the end. There is great peace in knowing these truths, especially in times of trial.

The post “[God] Will Give You Help” — Finding God in Times of Trial appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

“I wrote this last year for a sister in law, who’s father passed away. The words came, I felt I was just the holder of the pen. Within the week, I found out that my other sister-in-law had a painful miscarriage at 16 weeks. As I was praying to know how I could help her, I knew that the poem already had.”

The Sun Will Rise

In this life we have rare glimpses of Heaven
the touch of a hand as we say good bye
An answer that seals Forever
A baby’s first cry
the shadow of a baby that never cried
Each one a glimpse
The Heavenly Father that loves
The Son that gives all
Each brings a family closer
To one another and our Eternity

As I thought of what you might be going through
I wished that I could think of something to say
that would take your pain away
This poem flowed and as I cried I knew
What He would say
Don’t take your eye off the Sky line
Keep Watching
The Sun will rise

When pain is too hard to bare
When all seems troubled
the light impossible to see
When families are far
Never forget
The Sun will rise

Life is lived
Death comes
just another season
Easy for the ones who leave us
Those left search for a reason
Tears fall, hearts feel empty
hard lump in your throat
In the darkness
One we know calls our name

Please don’t cry, My dear one
I love you,
that’s why I have come
I know what you’re going through
Because I went through it too
I did it just for you
I bore your pain
I felt your grief
As I knelt and begged for relief
I did it because He asked me to
And I did it all for you
The Sun will rise

So during this middle hour
When morn’s light seems so far
When all is dim and unclear
When pain and doubt seem to sear
Look to the sky
And hear my reply
Clear your eyes
Know
The Sun will rise

I know for I am the Savior of All
I love you
I came, lived, died for you
I carry your burden
Through me it is light
Making your way through this dreary night
Never forget
I am the Son
I died
I rose again

The post Poem: “The Sun Will Rise” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Chris talks about the power of prayer, of brotherly love, of letting go of anger and forgiving. He beautifully expresses how God has listened to his prayers, and how choosing not to direct anger and grief at the person who caused the pain has made all the difference…how letting the Savior take that pain has allowed the Savior’s healing power and love to flow to him as well as to the young driver and his family.

One of the family’s church leaders says, “There is Jesus’ way to resolve problems, to address situations, to handle sorrow, and then there is some other way.” This leader felt that Chris made the decision long ago to turn to the Savior in hard times, so that when this heartwrenching experience came, he was able to make that choice, even in the moment of the accident, to let it go.

Chris notes: “If through the forgiveness or anything else…[the driver] should know it was merely the Savior working through me…. All I had to do was not get in the way.” Chris testifies that all the goodness that has come is from Jesus Christ and His goodness, His love, His brilliance shining through.

He closes with his testimony about how life really is about coming to know the Savior, the “man of sorrows…acquainted with grief.” Tragedies and trials can help us love. His faith in Jesus Christ and his knowledge that he can see his family again keeps him moving forward.

For more on this topic, see the following articles at lds.org:

The Healing Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness

The post Forward with Faith: Forgiveness Invites Christ’s Healing Power appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.