HOMECOMING

The scene has been portrayed by artists, poets have written countless verses about it, congregations and choirs proclaim it in songs and it has been testified of by prophets, yet, for most mortals the events which follow quickly upon our passing from this current phase of existence into the next, remains a thing hoped for, held in our hearts by faith, but not known.

The Scene

Husbands and wives envision it as an affirmation of everlasting vows, accompanied by one of eternity’s most loving embraces.

Families have confidence that invitations have been sent out and accepted by all who are found on the branches of ancestral trees.

The lonely and troubled who have walked solitary paths during mortality envision long desired, outstretched loving arms of care enfolding them.

The multitudes who have perished because of mankind having set their greedy hearts on war and contention, picture a peaceful, serene gathering where hate no longer rules.

The humble and rich are overwhelmed by surprise at vistas which contain neither shacks nor mansions, but abodes ample for their needs.

The honored and mighty of the earth, suddenly are overwhelmed at finding themselves in an attitude of bowing and kneeling before the King of Kings and are humbled by the complete absence of others giving abeyance to them.

The unknowable number of those whose earthly sojourn was but a few minutes, hours or days are filled with unspeakable joy that their absence from their heavenly abode was so brief.

A strong probability exists that the variety of the scenes, of imagined returnings from our time as strangers in a strange land back to our home, are just like the children of Abraham, as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

I seldom read chapter 27 of the Book of Alma in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ without having my own faith-based, hoped for reunion press upon my ponderings. The scenes which I have just described come and go during those pondering moments, but there is one scene which seems to always bring down the curtain upon my thoughts which were stimulated by these final words of Ammon.

In this scene the Giver of all Gifts, our very Father in Heaven bestows a temporary blessings of His Omnipresence upon whoever is making the passage of laying their mortal body aside and entering into Eternal Life. With that glorious gift the totality of one’s existence is at once accessible to their present conscience-ness.

They are at once with those who they discussed Heavenly Father’s Plan with during the Premortal part of their eternal journey.

They are at once with those who were influential in their conversion to Heavenly Father’s Plan.

They are at once with those who prayed with them as they departed their Heavenly Home and journeyed unto the strange land.

They were with the loving parents who nurtured and cherished them.

The veil of forgetfulness was removed and remembrance of every friend and loved one they had interacted with during mortality was within the blessing of God’s gift.

Every tutor and mentor along with their instruction and inspiration came into the vision and renewed the warmness felt at the first hearing.

Momentarily an awareness was allowed which included all who you never suspected to have appreciated your attempts to serve during mortality.

The nearest and dearest were not only part of the vision, but somehow in that blessed moment it was as if they had actually become part of your very existence.

There is an all consuming feeling that you and your one and only, have become in all ways one.

Just as the magnificent moment feels like you are about to be consumed by it’s very light, the Mercy of our Heavenly Father removes the gift and replaces it with the understanding that through your continued progression in the just entered into phase of your eternal existence the day may come when you will have progressed to that level where the Gift of Omnipresence as well as all the gifts of Eternal Lives could be Everlastingly received.

I am going to end this Thought by including a few verses for the afore mentioned chapter and I invite you to allow the spirit to carry your ponderings into thinking about your own foreordained reunion.

Alma 27

7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?

8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go, we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have committed against them.

11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord…

14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and came over near the borders of the land.

16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.

17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.

18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.

20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.

21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.

26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after.

27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord.

If you have had a problem correlating the Nephites giving the Anti-Nephi-Lehies the lands of Jershon with our returning to our Heavenly abode, let me indicated a few markers.

They went forth according to the Lord’s plan.

All former interactions were forgotten.

The word joy is used to describe every interactive reunion.

They were of one belief.

They were full of zeal towards all.

They were full of zeal towards God.

They were honest and upright.

They were firm in their faith of Christ, forever more.

They were a beloved people.

They were a people highly favored of the Lord.

I pray the Lord’s blessings will attend us all and bring us joyously to that wonderful bright day of Homecoming.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO + HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE + INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY = THE GOOD LIFE