Do we know who we are?

After my twenty- eight year-old son died I had gone back to my hometown for a visit. As I visited with Aunt Virginia still grieving and being sad, she asked me what she could do to comfort me I then asked her to read Matthew 14 to me. I love the book of John and this chapter which begins “Let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me,” gave me comfort. Chapter 17 – the great intercessory prayer is another. Verse three reads  “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.”     

As I read the scriptures, as I attend my meetings I hear many things that servants of the Lord are abolished to do. Of all the things I could do, the thing I must do is to do the work God gave me to do. I know that the Lord knows my name and that before I left my Heavenly home I promised that I would do certain things. I think I have completed some of them. I think that finding the gospel, marrying Edward, giving birth to three children, praying over them in their times of discouragement and helping them find their way home to Heavenly Father has been part of it. In those glorious days when Edward and I were first married I thought I could have married anyone and it would have worked, but as the children grew up and left home Edward sank into depression.

I could have left him and no one would have blamed me, but after the trial, after he died, I came to realize that staying with him was one of those things I was sent here to do. I realized that maybe, just maybe in my pre- existence I knew what would happen and I loved him enough that I said send me. I will stand by his side and hold him up on the darks days. I will endure and love him to the end. I think I also saw the problems my children would face and I said I will be there for them. I will pray for them I will love them to the end.

I think of certain people who have likewise come into my life to strengthen me and to be an example to me. Among those are my Dad and his mother, my grandmother Stearns. I am so grateful for the wisdom and example they were to me. I am most grateful for my Lord and savior Jesus Christ who atoned for my sins on that old rugged cross. Without that atonement none of us could return home to Heavenly Father who loves us.