Remember

There is a series of books put out by Deseret Books that I love and wonderfully stumbled upon at Christmas in a set and got them! And I'm currently reading them. They are by Chris Stewart and it's called The Great and Terrible series. [Highly recommend reading them, member or not! So good!]

So I just finished the first book last night and came across an amazing section at the very end, and decided I'd share it, because it seems so powerful to me.

Let me set it up for you. So this whole book is based in the Pre-existence, which is where we lived before we came to this life, in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. [If you have questions about this, feel free to ask !] The characters in the book are getting ready to come to earth and are having a last little chat with Heavenly Father before they are sent here. He kind of gives them a little pep-talk about coming to this life. As much as I know this book is the authors interpretation and based on beliefs within the church, I feel so strongly about this part. So let me share it !

Sweeping his arms across eternity,
the Father explained, "I am sending you to earth
at a very treacherous time. Once you are there you
will forget everything. And the things you will
deal with will seem so important to you. Your
everyday problems will seem incredibly large-
your work and your school, your family and friends,
what to wear, how you look. Are you fat?
Are you strong? Are you pretty? Are you smart?
Do you make enough money? Do other people like you?
Why weren't you chosen for a game or group activity?
Why isn't life always fair?
Worries such as these may consume you and
take all your time.

You may obsess with disappointments;
you may put all your focus on the pain.
It will be easy to forget that life is always good-
that whether you are here or on earth,
you are meant to find joy.

So on quiet nights in the summer,
when you are still and peaceful,
I want you to look up at the heavens, the moon and the stars,
so your spirit can remember these
things I have shown you
today. And if you do, you will remember,
somewhere deep in your soul,
that you are a part of a heavenly family,
a heavenly plan, something eternal and
wonderful and incredibly large. You will remember
that your family is up here cheering for you,
that family is the only thing that matters,
the only thing of any significance.
And though your human language won't have
words for the feelings I will place in your hearts,
your spirit will remember and you will long to be with me again."

I don't even know how to transition into talking about this. It's just so amazing to me. We do put too much time and effort into the small problems, the temporal problems, things that won't matter after this life. And we do focus on the pain and the disappointments. [I am guilty of this more than anyone else!] But we are here to find joy in this life, and all we have to do is look for it and find it.

And we have a heavenly family cheering us on. Doesn't that just make you feel good? There are so many people that back you up, that pray for you, that are wanting the very best. Even if you feel so alone, you have them.

And in regards to the last part, I know I have felt those feelings that I cannot describe in any language. You just feel it. And I like to think this author put it beautifully into words. I do feel like my spirit remembers and recognizes that feeling, or recognizes something from our lives before. And every time I can remember having those feelings, I do want to return to my Heavenly Father. I do long to be with Him, and want to live my life the very best so that I can return to Him someday. And that's exactly what He wants for each of us.