Chapter Four

A Testimony from the Grave

by Kathy Truman

My sister came into town so we could spend some time together. One of her very favorite activities is shopping at a thrift store and so off we went! I always make a beeline for the book section to see if I can find any treasures. As I was strolling down the aisle, I saw a Book of Mormon on the shelf. As I picked it up, I thought of the young man my daughter was dating. He had expressed interest in the Church and as Easter was coming up, I decided to give him this book of sacred scripture that morning. As a personal touch, I planned to write my testimony inside the front cover. I put the book in my cart and continued strolling to see if there was any other book that would peak my interest. There! Another Book of Mormon which was in even better condition! I put the original book back on the shelf and placed the new find in my cart. Upon arriving home, I put this Book of Mormon in my desk drawer to await Easter morning. As Easter arrived, I pulled the book from the drawer and opened the cover to write my testimony. What I saw stunned me and brought me to tears! There was a photo of my family and the testimony of my father from 25 years prior.

How could this be? I thought back twenty-five years ago, when before moving to Utah, my family lived in Washington State. At that time, my family participated in a church-initiated program for members to buy several Books of Mormon, paste in their family pictures, and write their testimonies inside. We then sent these books out to the missionaries in the field to give away to investigators. My family had been a part of that program.

This book must have traveled far and wide in its journey to finally come back into my possession. After all these years, it landed in the exact thrift store we visited that afternoon and I ended up placing it in my basket. Incredibly, I wouldn’t have even purchased this Book of Mormon had my daughter not been dating this young man.

My father was a man of great faith and testimony of Jesus Christ. He was truly a man of God and after he passed away, much too early from cancer, I grieved not only for my loss but the loss of the strength his testimony could have brought my children and grandchildren.

The miracle of finding this particular Book of Mormon testified powerfully to this young man who eventually joined my Church. My father may have not been with us physically, but his spirit was still with us. He could still testify of God, even from beyond the grave – and he DID!

Invitation:

1. I invite you to research the life histories and circumstances of your loved ones who have passed on so you will recognize them if and when they make their presence known again here on earth.

2.I invite you to repent and cast the burdens of your own generational issues to our Savior. As you dedicate the work to your ancestors beyond the veil, they can serve you in return.

3.My miracle was quite dramatic, but I invite you to pay attention to the subtle witnesses that your loved ones are near.

4.Take the time to be still and initiate conversations with those who have passed on…and I invite you to listen.
The complete book is coming soon!!

Built with a singular purpose across the world, the lighthouse has one job…to remain standing in its place and light the way. Its very design is not only to be firm and steadfast but to endure the hottest of still summer days and the torrent of the most violent winter storms.

In a most unexpected way, the lighthouse has taken on another tremendously important roll. It has become a symbol for the human journey. As the sailor seeks out the lighthouse to guide his or her ship safely in the storm so do we seek out those whose light and character are bright and immovable when our lives face change. The lighthouse has become a symbol of safety, a beacon warning of danger in the face of adversity.

Navigating a true and steady course in relationships is the stuff of maritime legend. We, along with our loved ones, get to actually exercise our agency to choose our paths. In that choosing, what if those whom we care for lose their course, their direction, their will to continue? What if some of them have actually become shipwrecked? Do we resign ourselves to thinking that all is lost? What do we do now?

Come with me as we discover together what a humble lighthouse can teach us about ‘lighting the way’ in our relationships.

Please stay tuned for the upcoming book…