My Testimony of Mortality

Throughout my life I've wondered what was so special about mortality. What was it that we could accomplish here that we were unable to accomplish in the premortal realms with our Heavenly Father?

I think I am finally starting to understand. Recent events in my life are teaching me.

Dealing with death, in the vaccum without perfect knowledge of the eternities, is a challenge of seperation we didn't deal with in premortality. Keryn's dad died on Memorial Day of this year. We miss him dearly and long for his advice as we face our more recent challenges.

Dealing with physical bodies that break down is the other challenge unique to our earth life. We don't have any evidence that our spirit bodies before birth had to endure illness and decay. It seems those things all started with the Fall of Adam. You don't need to look far to find people battling various forms of illness. In our own family in the past two weeks (including in-laws) we've had a diagnosis of spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, pneumonia (as a follow on from a possible West Nile Virus infection), and a severely infected appendix that had to be removed. Four major illnesses across just three households. When lightning strikes...

It is fair to say that our family has been reeling a bit over the past couple of weeks. We seem to be experiencing the full buffetings of mortality available outside a war zone. And yet, in spite of all the tears we've shed, I must admit that I feel stronger now than I've ever been. I believe that God is lifting us and strengthing us. I believe that my trials, as small as they've been over the last decade, have made me into a much better person than I was before. I have faith that the trials that lie directly ahead will make me even stronger.

So it is that I'm gaining a testimony of the unique place of mortality in the eternities. I'm seeing the growing I've been able to do in such a short time and I'm grateful for it.

I rarely feel compelled to stand and bear my testimony during a fast meeting, but this month I did. The testimony that I bore consisted of the things I've just written. I had many people come up to me afterwards and tell me that those words had been very meaningful to them. One sister said that she, too, was grateful for her earthly trials, though she wasn't yet to the point where she prayed for them. I think I can concur with that sentiment!

I thank God for the glorious plan of salvation, that includes the resurrection and perfection of our bodies. And in the meantime, I praise Him for the priviledge to learn in the "space granted" where we might "prepare to meet God."