Thursday, March 24, 2016

Would I Give Up the Blessings?

When Kris was sick, I remember riding the hospital elevator down to the main floor of the University of Utah Hospital, after our visits with her. We would pass the burn unit on our way down and sometimes someone from that floor would get on the elevator. I remember a silent prayer I once offered while riding in the elevator, “Heavenly Father, it would be okay with me if Kris’s face was disfigured and scarred from burns. Please, just let her live.”

Many years later, I was reminded of those thoughts as I contemplated the many blessings that had come to us since Kris's death, some of them, because of Kris’s death. My Grandpa Shurtliff became active in Church for the first time since he was a young boy. He and Grandma were sealed in the temple and became ordinance workers. My Dad was baptised. He and mom were sealed to one another and to we three children. Sandee became my bonus sister. I gained a greater understanding of the Plan of Salvation. It is a very long list.

It occurred to me that if Heavenly Father had come to me when Kris was dying and offered to save her life, but with the condition that I give up all the blessings that would come to us if she died, then I would not have hesitated even one second. I would have said, “Yes, let her live! No other blessing could be worth more than having Kris with us.”


But, today, my perspective has changed. Today, my answer would be, “Even though this has been one of the hardest trials of my life, I would not be willing to give up the blessings that have come because of Kris’s death.”

1 comment:

Babzanne Barker said...

So beautifully put, Linda. Thank you for sharing these thoughts and memories. I'm loving all your posts!