The Other Side and Back
By Anne Hinton Pratt · February 23, 2022
This
life is a continuum from pre-mortal existence that transitions into the life
here on earth, then life after this. I want to share
some poignant accounts people have shared with me concerning departed friends
and family who have momentarily returned to give support and to verify the next
frontier…
It is SO WONDERFUL!
Terry
Christensen shared a thrilling experience of seeing her deceased father.
She wrote,
‘My dad
and l were always very close. We enjoyed visiting about everything, but
especially spiritual things. I remember asking Dad one time,
‘When you die someday, will you come back and tell me what it’s
like?” He said he would try.
“Many
years later he was diagnosed with cancer. I reiterated that question from long
ago,
“‘Dad, when you die will you come back and tell me what it’s
like?’ He smiled and nodded. He passed away at the age of 87.
“A
night or two after he died he came to me in a dream. He was dressed in white
and was very young. He stretched his arms out toward me and simply said,
“It is wonderful. It is SO wonderful!”[1]
How
beautiful! I love that description, because, after all, we’ll be going
there someday…
I
appreciate the scripture that confirms the fact that angels can at times choose
to visit us.
“…as
the angels of God,…shall pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can
show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.”[2]
“Don’t Worry About the Kids”
Terry
also shared another poignant experience, but this time it was her husband she
saw. She felt his love as if he were still living. She said,
“My
husband passed away in August. We had gone to Maui every year for the past 20
years. This was my first year without him. One afternoon I was sitting in the
shade near the ocean listening to the lull of the waves. I closed my eyes to
relax and immediately I knew he was sitting next to me. I could “see” him
plainly, khaki shorts, Hawaiian shirt, baseball cap. He said,
‘It is very important to be good; keep the commandments, and
keep your covenants. When you do, you’ll be able to handle hard things.” Then
he added, “Don’t worry about the kids. I’ll take care of them.’
“We
have 5 grown children. A few days after this experience my only daughter’s
husband was killed in a car accident. I felt like my husband had let me know he
was there to help us through these difficult times.”[3]
The
spirit world is very near, and how wonderful that at times we can be allowed to
perceive our beloved departed friends and family’s concern for us…
They Can See Us Better than We Can See them
President
Joseph Fielding Smith taught,
“I
believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and
of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them… We live in their presence,
they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than
ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us;… their love for us and their
desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for
ourselves.” [4]
In
short, they continue to love us and at times they communicate with us…
You Don’t Need to Worry
Ava
Holley’s former boss and good friend suddenly died. She says,
“I was
tormented over the fact that Greg had died so suddenly. I had hoped he was
okay. I had asked the Lord if he would let me know that Greg was okay.
“Greg
was buried on a Friday. On the following Monday or Tuesday night, I had a dream
about him. I was sitting in my office at work, a place where I had seen Greg
many, many times. He walked into the office. He had on his overalls, and was
carrying paperwork and mail under his right arm. I was so surprised to see him.
I asked,
“’What
are you doing here, Greg? Are you okay? I have been so worried about you!’
“Greg
told me that there was no need to worry about him, that he was okay.
He told
me that he knew I had been worried about him and reiterated that he was
fine. When I asked him how he knew about my worries, he said,
“’Ava, I can see in to this world. It is very close to where I
am. I can see what is going on and know what you are feeling. You don’t need to
worry about me anymore, I am okay.’
“With
that, he turned and walked out of my office, and I woke up.”[5]
That
edifying dream brought Ava great peace during her time of trial.
Bruce
R. McConkie shared an illuminating thought, by writing,
“…Are
we not commanded: Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and
it shall be opened? Why, then, should we smother a desire to
heal the sick or raise the dead or commune with friends beyond the
veil?” [6]
Something
to ponder on…
They Are Near Us and At Peace
Jenny
Svendsen relayed to me a precious story of feeling her son shortly after he
died. She writes,
“The
night he died, I was filled with such a peace! I was up very late and
decided to play Yahtzee on the computer, Jonathan liked to play that with me.
I just started the game, when I felt his arms around me and in my
mind heard him say:
“‘I am fine, I am at peace and love you’.
Wow,
what a rare but beautiful blessing! Jenny continues,
“One
day we were in the Temple, my husband was performing baptisms, baptizing our
grandson and I was sitting beside his sister Kira observing, when I
spiritually saw Jonathan on the other side of the font, I told Kira
that her uncle Jonathan was there, and she said: ‘Yes, I know. He
always lets me know that he loves me and is doing well.’”[7]
They Help Us More than we Know
Elder
Charles A. Callis stated:
“We
believe that there is consciousness of the spirit in the life hereafter,
between death and the resurrection…Death does not congeal the lips of those who
go before us; they are not far from us and they help us more than we know.[8]
This
life is a continuum from pre-mortal existence that transitions into the next
life after this. It’s just comforting to know that our loved ones may be
privy to our circumstances and are sometimes allowed to communicate with us. We
can also know that our departed loved ones are in good hands until we see them
again.
[1] Terry Christensen, personal
correspondence. Used with permission.
[2] 3 Ne 28:30.
[3] Terry Christensen, personal
correspondence. Used with permission.
[4] Joseph F. Smith, in Conference
Report, Apr. 1916, 2–3; also Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 430–31.
[5] Ava Holley, personal
correspondence. Used with permission.
[6] Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for
the Articles of Faith, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, 1985, pp. 367-68.
[7] Jenny Svendsen, personal
correspondence. Used with permission.
[8] Elder Charles A. Callis, (Apostle
1933 to 1947) October 1939 General Conference.
