Baby Steps to Glory

By D.H. REID and Ginger Reid-Parker

Baby steps to glory is the story of a young man that is asked to officiate a funeral and it leads to him being chosen to give the Easter Sunday sermon at the home for the elderly. As he meets the elderly patients inside the home, they tell him about their lives and how Satan has changed the world from the way it was in their youth, to an evil environment that has seen the glory of God abandoned. As he meets a nurse that introduces five elderly women that are dear to her heart, the young man will find romance, new friends, and he will influence the women in the home. They will learn the answers to questions they always asked, which include where did we come from, why are we here, and where will they go after life ends for them. Miracles of God are then shown and they are given a unique blessing that expires at the end of the weekend. The book is meant to show that we can fall, but through repentance, we can always change from within and glorify our Heavenly Father.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329128279

Book preview

Baby Steps to Glory

BABY STEPS

TO

GLORY

THE VEIL IS LIFTED

BY: D. H. REID

GINGER REID PARKER

© 2012 by D. H. REID & GINGER REID-PARKER

All Rights Reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publishers or author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine, or journal.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, (living or deceased) is purely coincidental.

The author also wishes to make it clear that the views expressed here are only opinions and the facts as seen through his eyes. He understands that others will have contradictory views to what is written. They are written through God-given rights of freedom of expression and speech. The author is also protected under the freedom of religions act to express his views concerning churches and their members.

First Printing in the United States of America

****DEDICATION****

I would like to dedicate this book to my parents, Claude and Ruth Reid, my dear friends Heather Smith, Lori, Jennifer, and Gerlie.  It is also dedicated to two special people that touched my life and helped me bring the gospel into the life of one person I love dearly.  Keith and Marilyn Martindale will always be loved for their kindness, spirit, and dedication, and through their love for the Savior.

I would also like to thank my grandparents, George Brantford and his wife Florence.  They have taught me what it means to take baby steps back to our ‘Heavenly Father’, through their example.  It requires patience, long-suffering, repentance, prayer, and having the courage to endure to the end in righteousness.

I would like to dedicate this book to my eternal companion Ginger that I love dearly. Without her help and companionship in life, I wouldn’t know and understand what unconditional love and forgiveness are about.

Many of the stories and accounts written about in this book are true and the names have been changed to protect the identities of others.  I have used my own life, real events, and stories from friends as the basis for the story. It describes how my actions touched the lives of others, and what the gospel of Jesus Christ means to me. Facts are displayed, not opinions.

****CONTENTS****

CHAPTER 1:                 RESTING SIDE BY SIDE

CHAPTER 2:                 HISTORY REVEALED

CHAPTER 3:                 RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FORGOTTEN

CHAPTER 4:                 BIRTH OF AN EVIL NATION

CHAPTER 5:                 SATAN NOW RULES

CHAPTER 6:                 THE DILUSIONS OF MAN

CHAPTER 7:                 MEMORIES OF THE ELDERLY

CHAPTER 8:                 WHAT HAPPENED?

CHAPTER 9:                 THE SINS OF THE PARENTS

CHAPTER 10:               RIPE FOR DESTRUCTION

CHAPTER 11:               HOW TIMES DO CHANGE

CHAPTER 12:               A TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST

CHAPTER 13:               THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

CHAPTER 14:               THE PATIENT’S INSIDE

CHAPTER 15:              MAKING A WISH ON A STAR

CHAPTER 16:               A TESTIMONY IS CREATED

CHAPTER 17:               THE VEIL IS LIFTED

CHAPTER 18:               THE PLAN OF SALVATION

CHAPTER 19:               BABY STEPS ARE TAKEN

CHAPTER 20:               BAFFLED AND BEWILDERED

CHAPTER 21:               FAITH IS SHOWN

CHAPTER 22:               A COVENANT IS MADE

CHAPTER 23:               THE LADIES REMINISE

CHAPTER 24:               THE SUNDAY SERMON

CHAPTER 25:               A HAPPY UNION

CHAPTER 26:               A SUDDEN ILLNESS

CHAPTER 27:               FRIENDSHIP IS ETERNAL

CHAPTER 28:               THE POSTMORTAL SPIRIT WORLD

CHAPTER 29:               THE CALL FROM HOME

CHAPTER 30:               CELESTIAL MARRIAGE

Chapter 1 - Resting Side by Side

The sun was still shining bright through the gathering clouds, which would allow everyone that was still in attendance to watch the event that is unfolding with patience and remorse. A funeral procession previously walked the caskets from the black hearse to their waiting strong box, held in place by the cold and emotionless dirt that is surrounding it.

The lid is supported by chains and the small pile of earth that is next to each grave is covered with a green cloth and many flower arrangements that are sent by their loved ones and friends. Tears are shed, but it is done to show remorse that didn’t really mean a lot to the surviving relatives.

For many, they hadn’t seen the deceased person, spoken to them, and they hadn’t had contact with them in many years. The funeral for their relative was merely the final act, or a formality that will relieve them of their responsibility to put a fading memory to rest in the archives of history.

The person lying inside the wooden box was ignored for many years and it created pain, sorrow, and tears would be shed in the latter years of a future that should have been filled with happy memories and the sharing of never-ending wisdom. Their lives would merely be swept aside, ignored, shunned, as if their existence is in vain and meant nothing to those remaining.

For those that bothered to take the time to appear at the church, and then at the gravesite, they are there for reasons that are known only to them. For most relatives, they felt relieved that they could benefit from inheritances they have coveted for many years, boosting their own greed and selfishness. It is obvious that the only thought they have is how could they benefit through the death of their loved one?

It is ironic that five of the funerals would take place on the same day and the old ladies had requested a service that would follow their beliefs in the Savior. He is a son of God that had risen from the tomb two-thousand years earlier.

The ladies understood a passage in the ‘bible’ that says, ‘for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’. It was a simple truth that many people didn’t really want to hear any longer in the world, due to the growing atheist movement that was now guiding their societies in life.

After the graves were dedicated and then consecrated to their memory, a young man will announce that death is only the beginning, not the end, where man takes his first steps on the path that is filled with the fruits of their past labours. Everyone’s journey precedes death, which is a prerequisite to eternal life. The citizens walking the earth would be born, but everyone must also die.

Everyone needs to take the first breath of fresh air in their lives, so they are able to obtain bodies of flesh and bone, and they experience joy and sadness. They will experience happiness and pain each day, and make choices that help them grow from within. They are given freedom to make mistakes in life that will also help them gain strength.

Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, introducing mortal death into a world that was seen previously without sin, but that would be cleansed from a world of wickedness and death on the third day. That is when the son of ‘God’ would rise from his slumber and enable the righteous to live forever in a state of immortality.

Righteousness is rewarded with celestial blessings, a feeling of peace that is found within the soul, with a gentle understanding that a mansion is prepared for them from the foundation of the world. If the individual achieves that goal and obtains the mansion that is prepared for them, the answer lies within their own actions, attitude, and service from birth until death.

Questions would be asked concerning their acts each day. Did they repent of wrongdoing after feeling remorse for what they had done? Do they really make an honest attempt to overcome a weakness and replace it with strength, where the individual endured in faith to the end? Did they turn from wickedness and the deeds of corruption and evil, where they are never repeated again, showing a sign of true repentance?

It was unfortunate that many spirit children of a loving ‘Heavenly’ father in the world wouldn’t receive the same opportunity that billions of others would receive. Through the evils of abortion, birth control, and sorrow experienced through miscarriage, tiny bodies of flesh and bone would be destroyed, which made it impossible for the spirit to enter and experience the same trials in life.

Many thoughts would race through the minds of those in attendance, but the truth was obvious that some were merely going through the motions. For some, the funeral meant that they would never see their mother again in this world. It is a moment that will tug at the very depths of their soul, cherishing the time all the survivors have left in their existence on the Earth.

It was known that the individual continues to grow, they always learn new knowledge, or they can pass on the skills they obtained in life to their children. Many would be eager to cast them aside and ignore that they even exist. That happened to the women that were now resting side-by-side in the cemetery.

The women loved their families in life, but they were now beyond the veil.

They sacrificed many years of their lives for others, to benefit from what an unjust world had taught them, but the world was known for being cruel. They were seen as insignificant to the youth, who have thrown them away without an ounce of pity or respect.

The same could be said for those that are sent to war. They will then give up or sacrifice their tomorrows, so everyone they love can enjoy their todays. The men and women would perish to guarantee them freedom from oppression and hardship through each new generation that is born.

Now that everyone had gathered in silence at the side of the graves, words of wisdom were spoken that are special in the lives of the ladies that were now in their state of rest. One of the ladies held a poem dear to her heart for an endless number of years. It was called ‘Simple words’ and she wanted it read to guests that would gather to mourn her loss in the cemetery.

There are times in our lives when we will need a new start

Whether it comes through encouragement or a song from the heart.

We feel it through a small birds chirping or through the buzzing of bees

A song that is so beautiful in our ears that it often buckles our knees.

Life is often complicated, leading many into temptation

But the plan of salvation gives us hope, through our redemption.

Everyone will fall, because there are none that are spared

But we can lift ourselves up with help from those that cared.

We are often pulled in different directions, all at the same time

Do we take a stand in honesty or do we descend into crime?

The road to integrity is often compromised or ignored by man

But the faithful are those that will hold true to the plan.

The beauty of nature surrounds each of us each day

Do we enjoy it to the fullest, on our knees as we pray?

Do we feel the pain that is felt by those that are closest to us?

Or do we desert them when they need us and put up a fuss?

Many people will enter our lives, as we drift through the years

But we always appreciate those that want to share in our tears.

It is said that nothing is impossible for those that will try

Like the moon’s light at night or the sun’s rays in the sky.

Cherish those that will love us, they are special and unique

Just like each snowflake on our tongue, humble and meek.

Just remember that the sun always shines in darkness or light

It is then up to each one of us, whether we give up or fight.

Do we want to bring joy into the lives of those that we meet?

Or merely ignore them completely, through lies and deceit.

The message is simple!  Treat others with kindness and love

And they will remain in our lives, with guidance from above.

To offer encouragement and support, when we need them the most

It is often in silence through action, which no one can boast.

We will often love those that have loved us, not on a dare

But they are always with us through meekness and prayer.

The words will appear to touch only a few of the individuals that stood near the graves and many weren’t even listening. No one knew which lady had held the words sacred, or in her heart with respect, because the name of a deceased woman in front of them didn’t want it known to anyone.

Everyone has valued things that are often meaningless to those around them, but they gave strength to the person in life that needed them the most. It would then lead to a comment that was taken from the diary of the second woman.

"As I write this, I feel that death is only the beginning, not the end for me. I believe that we will walk through a door and take our first steps on a path that is filled with the fruits of our past labours.

Righteousness will always be rewarded with celestial blessings, peace from within, and a mansion that was prepared for the obedient souls of God from the foundation of the world. No one should take it lightly. Others would continue to walk a path through eternity in anger, hatred, corruption, greed, and I know that there is no reward waiting for them, except misery and pain.

I will always believe that the time for repentance is now. It should never be procrastinated or put off until tomorrow, because tomorrow will never arrive in our lives. When an angel of death knocks on our door, and signals that our time has expired on the Earth, the clock stops, and we seal our fate."

Looking over the crowd, it appeared that everyone that listened to the words from the woman’s diary couldn’t be bothered. They merely passed it off as the rantings of a weak, senile, old woman. They knew in their hearts that they were saved, because their minister or pastor had said it in his Sunday sermons. They are those that have served two masters every day in their lives and they didn’t see the harm in it.

They only attend a church to meet others that would share their love for the materialistic objects of the world. It was seen as their ticket to riches and their connections wouldn’t exist if they didn’t meet in their clique each week. They didn’t want to hear that they actually had to live their lives by example and the funeral was the last place they wanted to be, when their actions would be put on display for everyone to see. Words that cut them to the soul were the last thing they wanted to hear from beyond the grave.

The third woman had demonstrated strength of character through the years of her life and she left instructions for a special message to be read at the side of her grave when she died. She had to face many trials through the years and she wanted the younger generation of women in the world to pay attention to her words of encouragement. It was the special message she believed in and it was called ‘The Indestructible Spirit of Woman’.

"A girl that has appeared unbreakable – broke, but rising from the ashes of her broken spirit was a renewed strength and faith in a brighter tomorrow. Just as the clay on a potter’s wheel can be molded, many things will often end up in failure, or be discarded to start over in life. That is when the person will finally mould their greatest creation and it is unique and unlike any other in the world.

It is very fragile at first, but with time, the creation could then withstand the wind, rain, tempests, earthquakes, or many of the other forces that wanted it to crumble into the dust from whence it came. It is always said that nothing could withstand the test of time, without discovering the weakness and correcting it.

When the girl that always laughed cried, she learned the difference between happiness and the pain of sorrow. The same principal that small children must learn through a sense of touch that fire burns or causes pain. Unfortunately, it is often seen as a lesson for adults, as they cry many times for various reasons through the years of their lives. Hearts are broken, children would ignore their parents, when they see them as useless or a burden in their lives, or husbands and wives will often betray the trust of their spouse though infidelity.

The girl that never gave up finally quit, but that was the weak flesh that is constantly surrounding the indestructible spirit residing inside her. That spirit is capable of walking through walls, leaping the tallest mountains, swimming the deepest oceans with ease, laughing in the face of adversity, because she is a daughter of ‘heavenly’ parents.  If she has the faith of a mustard seed, it would lead to things that others believe are impossible in their mortal world. Nothing is impossible for God and he controls the elements with ease.

Women have a high level of intelligence and they were often able to handle many forms of adversity with ease. It is the women of the world that are able to endure the pain of childbirth – not men. Women are trusted with teaching their children right from wrong, strength from a perception that is seen as weakness, good from bad, and making decisions in their lives that can either hurt or bless them.

They are blessed with the talent that is called their women’s intuition, where there isn’t a challenge created that they can’t overcome with ingenuity, long- suffering, patience, or by using creative talents that reside in their heart. They can show love, empathy, discipline, juggle daily chores with children, and that is a talent many men will often overlook as irrelevant. Women are the glue in the lives of families that forms a strong bond that the elements can’t destroy.

Over the years, women will gain weight, wrinkles appear in places that are an exaggeration of frustration, bones become brittle, the muscles retract, joints ache, their hair turns grey, but one thing always remains constant. Even though their outer beauty will often diminish with time, an eternal spirit residing under their skin never ages. Women that are attractive in their youth, thin, beautiful, and turned heads growing up are still present inside their mortal body. That is where their true beauty will often be measured by those that love her.

It is often said that everyone can do things, anyone has the talent to make a large number of things happen, but no one usually makes the effort to rise and stand from the depths of despair, so they can take control of the circumstances surrounding them, except one creation. That creation is like none other and it is simply known as – Woman."

As tears formed in the eyes of the women that were present at the funeral of the five ladies that had spent the last moments of their lives in a nursing home, the names of the women presenting the messages were withheld for a reason.

The message they would hear was written by one of the ladies husbands and it was written before his life would be taken tragically in an accident. A drunk driver would end his existence on the Earth, only a few days after he wrote the special note for his beloved wife on a day that is celebrated by lovers – named Valentine’s Day.

"I wanted to write a message that you would hold dear to your heart as the years continue to pass. I can’t really explain why I have been blessed with the message in my head, but I hope you will find strength through the words and I want you to know that our bond is strong and can never be broken. This isn’t a normal Valentine’s Day card, but it comes from the heart.

‘In the beginning of the world, our ‘Heavenly’ Father decreed that it wasn’t good for man to be alone in his life. After taking a rib from Adam, He created a beautiful flower named Eve. She is created to be an eternal companion, lover, and his best friend, confidant, inspiration, provide moral and spiritual support, and to encourage him to work hard for her.  If he has succeeded in his quest, he could eventually become as his eternal Father wanted him to be.

For six-thousand years, men have opened their hearts to a beautiful rose and she is known as woman. As a daughter of our ‘Heavenly’ parents, she is often blessed with unconditional love, a heart that contains the qualities of sympathy, empathy, compassion, and a gentle nurturing for those surrounding her. She is blessed with those talents from the day she is born, until she is called home, so she is always capable of blessing those that she has loved through her life.

Valentine’s Day is a day when women will be shown the same love that the ladies share unselfishly every day, by those that are trusted to hold the key to their hearts, emotions, and love. It isn’t a day to give the person you love gifts and say thank you. It is a day that should rise above every other day through a year when many couples will spend a special moment or evening, in addition to the others. That is when the words ‘I love you’ take on a new meaning and the love couples felt on the first day are renewed years later.

It should be a day that is often free from abuse, harsh words, and this special occasion is the closest day everyone will enjoy, where the joy and happiness of the day they hold special is remembered. It was the day they said their vows to each other in a setting of romance, anticipation, or nervousness. The moments in their lives are remembered with love and compassion.

Valentine’s Day is a day that all couples should remember their wedding and what their special bond of love truly means to them. It should always be a day that is free, if only for a brief moment, from stress, anxiety, or the pressures of the world that constantly surround them.

It shouldn’t matter if the couples are married, girlfriend-boyfriend, or if the couples are best friends in life. The day signifies love, unselfishness, a sense of understanding, and it is the opportunity to let an important person in their lives know that they are their world, their universe; their reason for living every day, and their absence would create a void in their soul that would be impossible to fill.

When you miss the person you love, before they ever leave your presence, it is said that you have found your pearl of great price. The moments together are special and they should be cherished, adored, cared for, and protected with the same value that you would put on yourself through each moment of your life.

It is impossible to value something else, without knowing what real value is.

You have seen this in the past and many women are presented with a dozen or more roses on this special day. They symbolize beauty, innocence, and many of her obstacles were overcome, to produce their beautiful creation that would be displayed openly and without inhibition. Just like humans, the flowers can’t exist without the male and female parts attached to every blossom.

Even though roses are delicate to touch, with the velvet petals of expression, and a special scent that is intoxicating to everyone, every stem is adorned with sharp thorns. They are there to signify that a women in their lives can be hurt, misused, misunderstood, and they could easily be taken for granted through a person’s selfishness, carelessness, arrogance, or pride.

Everyone grows from an infant to adult and that comes with a price to pay in his or her lives. We must know pain to appreciate health, sorrow to appreciate happiness, death to appreciate life, and above all, unconditional love should be nurtured through the obstacles and pitfalls that are in front of us constantly, or during our journey through life.

Young women learn the importance of unconditional love through the birth of infants and that is the same love our Savior has for us. I believe that it was said, suffer the little children to come unto me, because they are innocent, they are forgiving, and they are capable of encouraging others to succeed.

Women were created in the same way and they are there to guide the men in their lives, as examples of what sensitivity really means, how love for another, disregarding themselves, can build a bond that is impossible to break. It would be said that the couples that share their lives and celebrate anniversaries in life that reach fifty years truly understand what it means to live their lives through sensitivity to the needs of a spouse or companion. The ideals of unselfishness and communication would be shared every minute of the day.

Putting a spouse ahead of ourselves means that we do the small things each and every day for them. It can be notes on a bathroom mirror that say, ‘thank you for loving me’, or bringing home a small gift each time we leave the home, giving her the last piece of pie, a cookie, soda, or even half of our sandwich. It can be a gentle massage after a rigorous day, which would be ways to say that they are appreciated in their lives and they would be lost without them.

Love is shown through providing breakfast in bed, scenting a bath that was prepared with soft lighting, candles, and lots of bubbles, dancing to the beating of their hearts, candlelight dinners with romantic music for no reason, giving a remote to her, so she could watch a romantic love story, when the sports are on and they are small ways that continuously build an eternal bond of friendship and love between them. I once heard a saying that I now hold dear to me. If we want to know what love is and we want to receive it from others, we must first show others what true love actually means to us.

Cupid is associated to this special day for one reason. Arrows are symbolic of the pain we will share with each passing year. To love someone in our lives unconditionally and openly, it isn’t easy, because the world views many things and life differently from the eternal plan that will be created in the beginning. It is said that love doesn’t hurt, but many will create fear to confuse emotions.

I hope this will always be remembered as the years pass and it is my prayer that you will see each day of our marriage, relationship, and friendship in ways that will create an atmosphere of compromise, giving of ourselves unselfishly, so our unconditional bond will last forever. I will always work hard to ensure that the truly special person that I love will smile each day, without the world interfering. It wants to distract us from our goal of growing old together in love and trust.

I hope we can be together for many years, but that isn’t in our hands.  It is a realm that we don’t understand and that is in the hands of ‘Heavenly’ father for us to respect. They are our parents that taught us what true love really means in our lives and if I can only spend a mere speck of time in your presence, I know that we have an eternity ahead of us. Thank you for loving me unconditionally as my friend, a woman that encouraged me to succeed, and that means more to me than all the riches that the world has to offer.’

After the letter was completed, an atmosphere of silence followed and there were many that could now understand what true love meant to the woman that was lying in a coffin in front of them. She had gained the love of a special man that put her first in his life and the message came from the heart, with purpose, and it was seen as a shame that his life was taken only a few days after he gave her that. It must have been hard and her children are now guilty of pushing her aside.

There were five coffins lying in front of them and the previous messages in the past hour would have a profound effect on one man in particular. He is the only son of one of the ladies and he is the only person that would ever visit her during the week.

Even though many in attendance had ignored the women when they lived in the home over the years, he saw his mother as his best friend in life. It would be unfortunate that no one could find something his mother had written that he could treasure as being special, but he had a note in his pocket that he wanted to read to the people at the gravesite.

"I know that many don’t know me here, but I received this from my mother ten years ago and she wanted me to have a poem that she wrote for a friend of hers, when she was a young woman in college. It always helped her understand the actions of others. It is called ‘Friends are Angels’ and it goes like this.

We never know when special people will enter our life

They can become friends, lovers, or even our wife.

With a heart that is touched by the cruelties of fate

Things will always work out, when they find their true mate.

With a warm embrace, a hand to hold, or merely a smile

Friends are always there, when it comes to walking the extra mile.

Side-by-side, with those that we are blessed in life to meet

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder and never trampled under feet.

Friends are angels that light our souls with an eternal flame

Though they have never met, or put a face to their name.

Reunions are filled with a joy that is treasured for all time

To ignore them through the years would be such a crime.

We feel their presence when we look at the beauties of life

Rejoicing that their love and friendships could cut like a knife.

It is known that the wound would always be engraved on their hearts

They understand it is never forgotten, because angels leave their marks.

We should always remember that things happen for a reason

Whether it fills our hearts with joy or it appears like treason.

Adversity will breed personality and character of the soul

It is always on display in life, in ways that we can’t control.

Friends are like family, to those that take the time to know

That they can be trusted and they aren’t seen as their foe

With a special tenderness that is reserved for a special bond

Friends often become angels, with one wave of their wand.

"When my mother spoke to me each week, she told me that she developed a special group of friends that always made her feel special each day. They were a sisterhood in life and they are now reunited again in death. It was unthinkable in a way, when I see them lying side-by-side in their coffins in front of me.

The ladies that my mother associated with had become her family and I will miss a special woman that I have respect and love for in my life. I was going to give her this for mother’s day, to show her what she meant to me, but I feel sad that I am now going to read it to her at the cemetery. I hope you hear this mom and it comes from my heart. I call it ‘The Love of a Mother’.

"As mother’s day approaches, I felt moved to write this and to share it with a very-special woman that meant the world to me.  It was written with love and it is like a genealogy of your life mom. It will start in the maternity ward of the hospital in our hometown and it was written to show what could have been, if you were able to give birth to my sister. It must have hurt and felt like you lost a part of your own soul after the miscarriage. With that in mind, I put her in my place, so I could see how her life would have blessed all of us.

‘For nine months, you felt the tiny infant kicking, moving, and giving many joyous memories to you. Now that the pregnancy is completed, you feel pain in ways that you never imagined earlier in your life. It wouldn’t be easy to deliver your daughter and you can see a part of yourself that grew from an embryo - to the baby you see in front of you. After making her planned arrival in the world, it was your happy occasion, but she only cries, as the nurses in the room clean her up, and they then put her into your compassionate arms.

After leaving the hospital, you would protect, feed, and clean her, dress her in warm clothing, and then show her unconditional love that you had never felt before in your life. As she begins to grow, she is then taught to feed herself, to use a bathroom facility, she then dresses herself, even though the colours don’t match. She would then learn how to brush her teeth, her hair, and to bathe with lots of bubbles.

Many nights would be spent holding her when she is an infant, when she has now developed colic, started teething, and she then wants to exercise her lungs in the middle of the night. You never complained though and you sacrificed in many ways, even everything you knew in life, so you can look after your small daughter.

When it came to nursery school, you stole glimpses of your tiny angel and it was strange to see her interacting with others for the first time. It would be an experience that would lead to normal childhood diseases that had included the mumps, chicken pox, measles, scarlet fever, plus other diseases I could name. It was one of the joys of being a parent, especially when children play, eat, and they would catch the germs that others have around them every day.

Of course, you were always there to nurse her through every illness, bump, scrape, bruise, and a soft kiss would always make the pain she felt go away. It always appeared that you cried more than your daughter did, because you felt the same pain that she is experiencing, when it came to losing her tooth, falling off her bike, scrapping her knees, or someone would make fun of her at school or in the playgrounds.

When she entered kindergarten, it is time to allow her to start growing and it is noted that she is no longer the baby that you have cared for early in her life. As each year continued to pass, you have become a scientist to make a volcano that spews lava, an artist, so you draw pictures of animals, a mathematician, to help her understand that two plus two equals four and you would then struggle to become an authority on the world. Your patience and knowledge would help your daughter see the world of beauty that surrounds us.

You became a geologist, meteorologist, botanist, zoologist, and an authority on many things that you had to research over the years. That is when she then started asking difficult questions. She wanted to know where animals had lived and why people hurt or killed them for no reason.

You became a philosopher, when she talked about things that wouldn’t make sense in her young mind. Even though you knew things and could then explain it to the adults, you still knew how to explain it, so a small child would be able to understand it too. She was starting to show her independence.

When she entered her teenage years and became rebellious through her bad behavior, you always showed patience and empathy. Her mother was always at her side to teach her the facts of life and about the birds and the bees, boys, her changing emotions, which is a topic that you felt uncomfortable with. Puberty had now started and she asked why things happened to her body that she can’t explain or understand.

Unknown to your daughter, you often sacrificed your dinner, if there was no money for food, or it went to pay the bills. Hours would be spent in the living room mending clothes, and you continued to teach her that nothing is received in life for nothing. She would have to work hard for everything she wanted and chores were given to teach her responsibility.

After she entered high school, you sacrificed your time to pick her up after school, chaperone her dates and pajama parties, and you provided the listening ear for her troubles. Over the years, you have become a chef, when she needed the skills to bake cookies, cakes, pastries, and you always provided a selection of snacks for her friends, when they appeared unexpectantly at the door.

You were the understanding peacemaker between siblings and it must have felt as if you were refereeing the Friday-night fights on many occasions in your home. You never complained though and it could be appreciated by your son. I know that I would cause many tears over the years that you tried to hide from me and I wish with all my heart now that I could have avoided that.

Your daughter would never know of the countless hours that you sacrificed to be there when she needed a shoulder to cry on, a best friend, a confidant, or when she just needed your female opinion about things. That would always be a challenge for parents with daughters, because they are often put in situations that boys will never see or have to deal with, until they are nearing the age that requires a driver’s license or maturity.

Daughters dream about boys, weddings, developing a career, having babies of their own to raise and love, and they fantasize they are obtaining a house to live in with a picket fence and dog. When your daughter found love and moved out of the house, so she could enjoy her own marriage, you were there to help her find lodging, fixed her car, cooked dinner, or you cleaned her house when she was exhausted. You were always there when she felt overwhelmed with an increasing series of obstacles that life has presented.

Even though everyone’s children are adults, you still felt unconditional love that you had for all of her children; from the first moment the nurse would put your baby in your arms. You didn’t want anyone to harm us or cause her tears to trickle down her cheeks. Children are a part of their mothers and that bond is going to last from the moment of conception until their deaths.

Many hours were spent in prayer that her needs would be met and she would enjoy health and peace of mind in her life. You would spend countless hours in constant contact on the phone, providing a listening ear, even though your life would be put on hold on many occasions to listen.

Unfortunately, as much as we want time to stand still, it continues to move on and we can’t stop it. It appears that time will always pass quicker with age and before you knew it, you were a grandmother, great-grandmother, and you had many new children to play with on your feeble and brittle knees. That is a complaint no one ever heard uttered from your lips, even though you were now suffering excruciating pain with each bounce of the infant on your knee.

Now that you were approaching your twilight years, the roles of mother and daughter should have been reversed. Instead of you caring for your child, your child should have assumed the responsibility to care for her mother. It is mere contempt on the part of the children towards their parents when they see their mother as totally useless. It is always ironic that a mother would never say that about their newborn infants many years earlier. Perhaps it is forgotten that they couldn’t do anything for themselves, but they were loved the same.

You sacrificed everything you could have become in life, to ensure that our needs were always taken care of.  It is now too late for you to receive this, but I truly appreciate everything you did for me. The hardest loss that I can think of that we will have to endure in our lives is the death of our mother.

I want to tell you that you will be missed in my life, because I love you very much. I want to thank you for teaching me to walk in your footsteps and even though you have passed through the veil of death, your memory will always be burned into the depths of my soul."

As everyone then walked towards the coffins and put a rose on the top of a woman they had known in life, many left the cemetery for parts unknown. It is known that their travels would probably lead many to the lawyer’s office, so it is known if a will is left that would lead to an inheritance.

That is what they had all coveted in life, when their mother, grandmother, or aunt was alive. It would lead to the obvious question and why should they even try to change the way their lives are seen by others. Many were takers and they forgot that life is a two-way street, with givers and takers.

For the young man that had given his mother a special gift, it was a moment he had never looked forward too. It is hard to overcome the loss of his mother and tears were still trickling down his cheeks when he is approached by a man that wanted to provide comfort in his hour of need. The young man had felt his pain and he wanted to provide a shoulder to cry on, if needed.

I listened to everything you said and I feel your pain, the young man told him, as he then handed him a handkerchief to dry his tears. "Death isn’t seen as the loss of a loved one. We bid adieu to them in this mortal life, but there was a group of people that were here before her that are waiting with open arms to be reunited. They want to welcome her into their embrace again.

You loved your mother in a way that many couldn’t comprehend in this life. I know and I have lost my father. It is a memory I was forced to endure and the day will never pass where I don’t show honour to his memory in my life. He is responsible for me becoming the person I am today. We would never miss the advice, comfort, or the knowledge they obtained, until they aren’t there for us to lean on any longer. Life is short, but when we look at it on the timeline of all eternity, our lives are merely a dot that can shape our whole future existence."

"That is nice of you to say, but I am now alone in life. My mother has been the only person that I could count on to listen and give me guidance. I’m sorry and my name is Robert. I have enjoyed the way that you dedicated the graves and if you don’t mind, I would like to sit under the trees here and watch what is going to happen to the graves. You are welcome to join me if you like.

It is so peaceful here and I could almost feel the presence of my mother next to me during the service for her and the friends she loved dearly. You are right and the hardest loss I have ever faced is the loss of my mother. She is my rock, my inspiration in life, and each time I visited her in the past, she would always tell me that I have to choose my own path in life. No one can walk in my shoes except me. I will rise or fall through my own choices and she had faith that she had raised me to distinguish between right and wrong."

"That would be my pleasure and my name is Elder Reid. I would be given a privilege to address the elderly in the nursing home in the future and it is going to be a spiritual meeting for everyone that could attend. I had an opportunity to speak with the elderly before and I was impressed. There is something special about them that stood out in my mind. 

As I listened to their story, they were given a rare opportunity to experience things that are reserved for the elect of God in this life. Moses would be given the opportunity to speak to ‘God’ face-to-face and he received a directive that he should give his people the ‘Ten Commandments’ that were written by the hand of ‘God’. I am only guessing here, but you probably loved your mother reading the scriptures to you every night.

Chapter 2 - History is Revealed

Yes I have and I have tried to live separately from the world, but that isn’t easy in today’s society, Robert agreed, as they arrived at the trees and sat on a bench that overlooked the cemetery. It is so peaceful here and the birds are singing happily in the trees, a small brook is flowing past rows of tombstones, and the bees can be heard collecting their sweet nectar. That continues a cycle that has existed for thousands of years. It would be nice if life would continue the same way, without having to say goodbye to those we love.

We don’t always understand, but ‘God’s’ ways are not man’s ways, Elder Reid answered, as they relaxed on the bench and watched the birds landing on the mounds of earth. "We often take comfort in knowing that a plan would be created before the world was created that allows us to retain our memories. It is the only thing we take from this life, yet many people pursue riches and fame at every opportunity.

Let me tell you something that I overheard earlier. One of the lawyers from a local firm was in attendance and he was now talking to relatives of one of the ladies. I learned some interesting things during the conversation. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but they were talking in a way that made it impossible for me not to listen. They were talking about the history of this area.

Apparently, resting in a quiet, remote area of Pennsylvania, a large building can be seen through the dense underbrush and trees that line an expressway in the area. It is situated next to Interstate 180 and very few people care or know that it even exists. It is situated in an area that provides a serene and peaceful environment for those that call the building their home. You know it and you visited your mother there every week.

Located next to the vast estate, the new super highway was built through the area with four traffic lanes that head in both directions. It was created for one reason and it had made traveling within Williamsport and the rest of the state of Pennsylvania accessible for many tourists. It would also enable or help many of their local citizen’s drive to and from their places of employment each day very quickly.

I did some research about the area when I arrived here a few weeks ago and I learned that Williamsport was incorporated into a borough on March 1st 1806, and a city on January 15th 1866. I doubt if the citizens know that Williamsport is the original home of little-league baseball.

I love baseball and I wanted to play the sport from an early age, but it was a dream that wouldn’t come true for me, even though little league was invented in 1939.  I hurt my throwing arm and that was my career over before it ever had a chance to begin. At least I had the chance to develop my skills in the sport that I loved before the injury and I had fun.

I was fascinated to hear that the league started as a three-team league and it would give many of the youth an opportunity to enjoy the experiences that they could indulge in each year. It would attract visitors to the area, from many other areas of the state and country, so they could then watch their children engaging in a sport that was competitive and could build character.

Williamsport became known as one of the ‘lumber’ capitals of the world in the late 1800’s, due to their thriving wood and lumber industry. It would be the birthplace of a national newspaper that was called the ‘Grit’ in 1882. It doesn’t matter where we live in the world and I always appreciate reading a newspaper that will publish articles about the local history and events of every town.

History always fascinates me and I learned that the thriving metropolis had to evolve with the times, especially after the lumber industry was decimated in the early 1900’s. It was due to the reckless ambition of men that didn’t really care if they destroyed the forests in the region. With each new generation, you will see those that put dollar signs ahead of others or the environment.

For their area to survive, the manufacturing industry would have to change or evolve, or the town would quickly disappear forever into the journals of history. Businesses would be their solution and their attention would shift to different products that could benefit the world around them."

That is very interesting to hear and I didn’t know that about this area and I have lived here for most of my life, Robert interrupted, as this was a nice way to spend the afternoon. "I knew that the state of Pennsylvania was the home of many attractions that could benefit the citizens living here.

There are many trails for hiking in the mountains and families can enjoy the various parks that were built for enjoyment and the sights of nature. I loved to spend my time beside the babbling brook, watching small birds flying through a blue sky, or seeing rabbits, squirrels, and other creatures scurrying about. It is so peaceful and it helped me appreciate what Heavenly Father has given us.

I’m not sure if you know this, but there is one group of people living in this area that aren’t interested in what the world has to offer them. They seek their serenity or peace through a simple existence that is totally free from our modern inventions that we often take for granted. Men and women would then worship or crave the material possessions they have, but that doesn’t apply to everyone.

The community here cherishes their way of life for the new generations to follow in strict obedience. They are taught and raised with their strong faith in a merciful ‘God’ that loves them unconditionally. It allows them to live their lives in a manner that would be free of stress, worry, or the temptations of evil that plague many nations.

The Amish and Mennonite communities call this area their home and it has been that way since the first immigrants arrived from Europe. If I was given an opportunity to show you their community, you would see a world that existed through a portal in time. It would be reminiscent of the eighteen hundreds and it gives us an understanding of what life was like for our ancestors."

I was raised in a small town that is just west of Toronto in Canada and that reminds me of the community that is located near Guelph. The Mennonite men and women live their lives in an atmosphere that praises God and his mercy, Elder Reid replied, as he understood what it was like for communities to exist in that manner. ‘Black Creek Pioneer Village’ in Toronto is another attraction that enables us to see what life was like in previous centuries. Life is simple in those areas and the families worked together to obtain their goals.

The communities we are now discussing didn’t have or want access to many modern inventions. They shunned electricity, automobiles, computers, radios, telephones, and luxury items that are often enjoyed and exploited in our world of greed and materialism. The communities see them as a temptation of Satan and they are evil possessions in the eyes of the people.

The citizens see the inventions as tools of Satan to promote sin and they are created to blind the eyes of everyone to principals of righteousness. Everyone knows that they are blessed by their creator, if they avoid the spoils of a world that often takes things for granted in their lives.

I had the opportunity to visit one community and they will use candles for a light in the darkness and they are made by the hands of those living there. It is very impressive how the youth are taught to be self-sufficient from childhood, whether it is churning butter, making candles, or repairing wheels on wagons.

Each homestead has a well that is equipped with a hand pump and that will allow families to fill jugs with refreshing water each day. Crops are planted in the fields each spring and harvested in the fall. I like the way the families teach the new generations their skills and it is part of their heritage.

Mothers teach their daughters how to knit, sew, cook, bake, churn butter, and mend their clothes. They are taught to raise children they are blessed with in an atmosphere of love, faith, and righteousness. In our modern world, you don’t see the dedication and strong bond that we should create any longer.

Everyone was taught how to accept responsibility for their survival, but the outside communities never learn from their perception of life. It is known that midwives are given responsibility to bring new life into homes and they don’t use modern medicines, techniques, or hospitals. Herbs and plants were used in life, because their healing principals are used extensively to cure illness."

"The lives of the pioneers that formed our nation were very different from a lifestyle everyone enjoys now. Anything that promoted evil was shunned or it was forbidden in their homes. In today’s world, families openly flaunt satanic practices and beliefs, corruption is seen on the streets of society, and no one has second thoughts about engaging in abominations. What makes it even worse, an evil government condones it.

I wish that I could live my life in the way that pioneers experienced things in their lives. Wives and children respected their fathers, the elderly are cared for, and their wisdom is shared with their children. That is what I tried to do in the nursing home and it was very disappointing to see others ignored by families, Robert told him, as he paused for a moment in thought. It is strange that our conversation is revolving around Amish communities, but they have priorities in line with everything they hold sacred, unlike the society we live in.

No one cares if they pollute our rivers and oceans, the air we breathe, or the businesses destroy forestry and rural areas for profit. In the eighteen hundreds on this continent, if fields weren’t cared for and planted each spring, disaster is the result, and everyone starves to death. The children would suffer the most in the harsh winters, resulting in the deaths of many that could have been avoided. Don’t forget that old age was generally seen as being in your forties.

Each harvest would require hard work, dedication, diligence, and if the crop failed to yield results, families would be forced to struggle through the winter months. Oxen pulled the plows and it took time to plant a field. I always see it as interesting that everyone dressed in the same fashions, which wouldn’t be seen as discriminatory against others that way.

When it came to literature, the ‘bible’ was the only book that is seen and read on a daily basis in their homes and everyone has most of it memorized. It was the centerpiece of their lives, the principals it taught were held in respect, and strict obedience. Other books would be read, but none of them were seen in the same way that the sacred word of ‘God’ is cherished."

I agree and that is the way everyone should still live their lives.  It is a way of life that is unlike the world surrounding them. Hypocrisy and opposition to the principals that were taught in the ‘bible’ didn’t exist, Elder Reid agreed, as he admired the way some communities chose to live their lives.

"Unlike the rest of the world around them, everyone knew each other and if anyone tried to change, distort, twist, or alter the truths and laws they learned from a family ‘bible’ for their own selfishness, desires, or benefit, they would be banished from the area. They would be free to join the rest of the world in their pursuit of evil. Once they were banished from their community, there is no return, except through repentance, and swearing to live in obedience again.

I like one aspect of their community. It would deal with schooling children.  Children are taught in a one-room schoolhouse. They had learned many things that would guide them in life. It was a simple philosophy and they were only taught the basics, when it comes to English, math, history, and the righteous principals concerning their heritage. The students would also learn about their ancestry from a teacher that lived in the community.

It is seen as her responsibility, or job, to ensure that everyone knew how to read, write, add, subtract, multiply, divide, and how to figure out the problems in their own minds. The students didn’t need modern computers, calculators, or the other means of learning that would often be accepted in the world around them. Everyone would have to use the intelligence that ‘God’ had blessed them with and it would benefit them until the day that they were called home.

I should point out that they used what is called an ‘abacus’ to figure out their larger numbers that appeared occasionally in their daily lives. An ‘abacus’ is a mechanical device that is constructed from wood. It has the narrow frame, iron rods, and multi-colored beads that are placed on the