One day a few years ago, after taking care of matters at the office, I felt a strong impression to visit an aged widow who was a patient at a senior care center in Salt Lake City. I drove there directly.

When I went to her room, I found it empty. I asked an attendant concerning her whereabouts and was directed to a lounge area. There I found this sweet widow visiting with her sister and another friend. We had a pleasant conversation together.

As we were talking, a man came to the door of the room to obtain a can of soda from the vending machine. He glanced at me and said, “Why, you are Tom Monson.”

“Yes,” I replied. “And you look like a Hemingway.”

He acknowledged that he was Stephen Hemingway, the son of Alfred Eugene Hemingway, who had served as my counselor when I was a bishop many years ago and whom I called Gene. Stephen told me that his father was there in the same facility and was near death. Gene had been calling my name, and the family had wanted to contact me but had been unable to find a telephone number for me.

I excused myself immediately and went with Stephen up to the room of my former counselor, where others of his children were also gathered, his wife having passed away some years previous. The family members regarded my meeting Stephen in the lounge area as a response by our Heavenly Father to their great desire that I would see their father before he died and answer his call. I also felt that this was the case, for if Stephen had not entered the room in which I was visiting at precisely the time he did, I would not have known that Gene was even in that facility.

We gave a blessing to him. A spirit of peace prevailed. We had a lovely visit, after which I left.

The following morning a phone call revealed that Gene Hemingway had passed away—just 20 minutes after he had received the blessing from his son and me. [1]

Following the promptings of the Holy Spirit has enabled Prophet Thomas S. Monson to offer a lifetime of service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The article in which this experience was recounted is called “Peace, Be Still,” and it is meant to demonstrate that the Lord is mindful of us every minute of our lives.  He knows us—every thought and molecule.  He usually blesses us through His servants, whom He prompts to bring us comfort through the Holy Ghost.  In this case, He sent a message through the Holy Ghost to President Monson, in order to bless the life of his old friend as he passed from mortality.

The Holy Ghost is sometimes called the Comforter, and he can offer us peace in the most trying of circumstances—Gene Hemingway’s family was blessed with peace at their loved one’s passing through this experience.  They were assured and comforted by God’s tender mercies specific to their trial and at the moment they needed them.

In some cases, instead of prompting one of God’s servants to minister to our needs, the Savior, through the Holy Ghost, does it Himself.  In the same article is a story of a girl who lost her brother to death.  On the anniversary of his passing, she nearly suffocated with grief.  She called upon the Savior in mighty prayer.  She longed for comfort.

I asked my Father in Heaven to please heal my heart. The pain was too much for me to deal with alone.  Then a feeling of peace, comfort, and love swept over my entire body. I felt as though God had wrapped His arms around me and was protecting me from the intense pain I had felt. I still missed my brother, but I was able to see with different eyes. There was so much for me to learn from this experience. I know the Lord’s love and peace are available. We need only to partake. [1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpYagtCon2s&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9H0fpxXY4&feature=youtu.be

Gale

Gale is a former fibro and CMP sufferer. She hopes this information will help other sufferers on their journey to good health.

Of primary importance is to get off to a good start.  Mormon prophets have counseled that the most important decision members of the LDS Church will make in this life is to marry the right person at the right time in the right place.  We expect to find the “right person” through inspiration from God, delivered to us by the Holy Ghost, who is our constant companion once we are baptized and continue to live worthy of his presence.  This person might not be a “soul mate,” and there may not be one chosen person who is right for someone to marry, but we can expect guidance from above in making this important decision.

Mormons believe that families can be together forever.  That is, the vows we take on earth can be binding in eternity.  We believe in eternal marriage, and the eternal marriage ceremony is performed in Mormon temples.   Getting to the temple is the goal of every active Latter-day Saint child and youth, and this goal encourages children to grow up with strong morals.  To qualify to enter a House of God, one must be pure.  The Mormon law of chastity is based on biblical law.  Simply stated, it is abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage, and total fidelity inside of marriage, which is defined as the legal union of a man and a woman.  A Mormon temple wedding is a beautiful, sacred event in one of the most transcendent places on earth, but it is only a beginning.  Once entering into the sacred eternal marriage covenant, both spouses must continue to live worthily for the covenant to be binding in the eternities.  Thus, Mormon couples work hard on their marriages (with a divorce rate of about 6.5%) and their personal worthiness.

The essence of happy Mormon marriages is charity and forgiveness extended over time.  Mormons also like to have fun.  Courting doesn’t end at marriage, and dating and wholesome recreation, time away from the kids are encouraged.  Mormon families tend to be larger than those in most modern societies, wherein birth rates are plummeting.  Our belief that we have always existed and that we come to earth from the presence of our Heavenly Father attunes us to the possibility that there are spirits waiting to take upon themselves physical bodies and come into our care.  Mormons do use birth control—when to have children and how many is a personal choice between husband, wife, and the Lord—but abortion is considered a very serious sin.  Even in cases of rape or incest, or endangerment to the mother, women should seek the counsel of the higher authorities in the LDS Church before making a decision to abort a child.

Once children come into a Mormon home, there are patterns and programs in place to help them to have their own spiritual experiences in order for them to develop a testimony (or witness) that Jesus is the Christ and to help them develop a closeness to Him.  One is family prayer morning and night (in addition to individual prayers).  Another is family scripture reading.  Another is Family Home Evening.  Family Home Evenings are usually held on Monday nights, and no other church activities are scheduled on Mondays.  In communities with a high percentage of Mormons, there are community events planned especially for families.  Although outside activities can be engaged in as a Family Home Evening, the typical event consists of an opening and closing prayer, singing of hymns, a lesson, an activity, and a snack.  Family members rotate taking charge of these aspects of the night, and a five year old may give the lesson, and the whole family participate in making the snack.  No interruptions are tolerated.  If the phone rings, we don’t answer it.

Talent nights have always been a favorite format for our  Family Home Evenings.  Chaos sometimes reigns, so a sense of humor is mandatory.

On a more serious note, earthly trials can present opportunities for families to fast and pray together, to have productive emergency councils or even just planning nights.  Mormons are expected to find their own spiritual anchors for their faith, and these can be discovered and nurtured within the four walls of the Mormon home.

Gale

Gale is a former fibro and CMP sufferer. She hopes this information will help other sufferers on their journey to good health.