My Personal Witness
of the Cheering Section on the Other Side
Experience has given
me personal witness of that principle. One day I was
pondering a particular phrase in my patriarchal blessing
about doing vicarious work for those who would inspire
and influence me ― loved ones who had gone before.
My father was an avid
genealogist, part of a family organization that paid
for professional researchers. The work was done as
far back as records were then available. I had always
felt there was little that I, a novice, could possibly
do to add to those efforts. Consequently, that phrase
from my blessing had frustrated me.
However, that day, as
I pondered my blessing, the sweet voice of
the Spirit told me those loved ones mentioned included
my husband’s family! Perhaps because my second husband
Doug and I hadn't yet been sealed in the temple, the
thought that my blessing could be referring to his
family had never occurred to me. The Spirit’s
powerful witness not only awakened in me a
great desire to pursue family history and temple
work for my husband’s ancestors, but also gave me
pause.
If Doug’s family were
included with those referred to in my blessing as
my loved ones, could I have known before this
life that I would be in this second marriage? Had
I known and loved these people in the pre-existence
and promised to be a “savior on Mt. Zion” in regard
to their temple work just as I had my own progenitors?
I was willing to believe
these tender impressions, but the task seemed especially
formidable. Doug and I were barely beginning to learn
about research, and so little had been done in his
family. There seemed to be no information available
at all in regard to one of his mother's lines. She
said she knew nothing about her grandmother Wendla's
date of birth or her parents, and wasn't even sure
how any of their names were spelled. Her brother and
sister were equally clueless, and there seemed to
be no other living relatives. How on earth would we
proceed? How could I do vicarious work for a family
that had kept no records?
Less than a week after
this experience, Doug’s mother called. She had just
found an envelope that her uncle’s widow had sent
her years before; inside was information she thought
might interest us. Did it ever! The envelope contained
certificates that documented the dates and places
of Doug's great-grandma Wendla’s birth and death,
the correct spelling of her name, Wendla Sofia Lofsund,
and her parent’s names, as well — on official documents.
If that wasn’t enough
of a blessing, the envelope also contained
documentation for Doug's great-uncle (Wendla's only
other child besides Doug's Grandma Vera), and both
of Wendla’s husbands (the great-grandpa who died before
Doug was born, and his step-great-grandpa who he
remembers.) It seemed a miracle that we suddenly had
all the information necessary to do temple work for
Wendla, her husbands and son, and needed only to find
dates for Wendla's parents before their work could
be done. (I did feel sad that Doug, who had joined
the Church just before I met him, had not yet decided
to go through the temple, so couldn't do his male
relative's work right then.)
I also had my doubts
about how Wendla might feel about temple ordinances.
I’d heard a lot of family stories about her.
For example, she had a real, live shotgun wedding;
her intended husband abandoned her when he learned
she was pregnant, and the sheriff caught him
and forced him at gunpoint to marry her! Word has
it that she despised him for trying to run out on
her, but would never give him a divorce.
He died ten years after they were married.
But listen to the rest
of her story: Wendla was a bootlegger in Salt Lake
City during prohibition days and ran a hotel of no
small reputation. She was still a drinker when she
married Doug’s step-great-grandpa years later. From
all we could gather she had little use for any kind
of religion until her last years, when she suffered
a terminal disease and turned back to her protestant
roots. To top it all off, she was anti-Mormon right
up to the end. I honestly didn’t have much faith that
this great-grandma would be anxious to have her work
done!
My Surprise Joy
Trying to put aside my
doubts, we prepared the temple ready disk and I took
it to the family file desk at the Jordan River Temple.
I took Wendla’s pink ordinance card with me every
week when I went to the temple to play the organ in
the baptistry chapel, but kept procrastinating doing
her baptism. Then, one day, as I was finishing my
shift, it came into my mind very plainly that it was
time to do it! Feeling a sense of being carried along,
I went to get my baptismal clothes. The most wonderful
feeling came over me ― as if someone had just
given me the happiest news in all the world.
I found myself crying
― the joyful kind of crying that is a witness
of the Spirit. I was absolutely taken aback. After
I changed clothes, I stepped into the water of the
font and the baptizer raised his right hand and spoke
Wendla’s name. Again, I couldn’t hold back the tears.
I knew without any doubt that Wendla was not only
accepting that baptism, she was rejoicing over it!
It occurred to me that
in the fifty years since her death, she had been very
busy on the Other Side learning the gospel and applying
its principles and was absolutely delighted to finally
receive the ordinances of the Lord’s own priesthood.
I was greatly humbled that I had misjudged this
dear woman.
A short time later when
I did Wendla’s initiatory, both the worker and I were
overcome with the Spirit and had to pause to get control
of our emotions. The worker said she had never felt
a presence so strongly. It was almost as if there
were no veil between us. Again, I not only felt Wendla’s
presence ― I felt her joy! I knew she
had been anxiously awaiting this day, and was grateful
to me for being her proxy. It was the most joyous
temple experience of my entire life. A bond of love
was created between Wendla and me that I can feel
to this day. I rarely think of her without a swelling
of the Spirit in my breast.
What Greater Witness?
The implications of that
experience are enormous. I was raised in the Church,
served a mission, married in the temple, had always
been active, always had a testimony. But never had
I received a stronger validation of the truthfulness
of the gospel and of the atonement. Never had I received
a more sure witness of the reality of the spirit world,
of the importance of temple ordinances and family,
of the bright and beautiful light of truth that was
restored by Elijah to the prophet Joseph. Wendla was
alive and real and cared about us and about the gospel
and about the temple ordinances!
I was able to go home
and share that experience with Doug, feeling the Spirit’s
witness again as I spoke. The implications were not
lost on him, and a few weeks later he surprised me
by bringing home a temple recommend. I had waited
for that day for more than a decade! He received his
own endowment and soon did the work for both great
grandfathers and his great uncle.
Since then we have done
temple work for more of his ancestors, and we continue
to find information on his various lines. We have
also grown closer as a couple through years of ward
and stake consultant callings, helping others with
their family history work. Our weekly
shift at our multi-stake family history center is
still a satisfying part of our lives.
But wait! The story is
not finished. Perhaps the best part is this: in September,
after overcoming many obstacles, Doug and I were
finally sealed in the temple. I am so thrilled to
be part of his family — and officially Wendla’s great-grand-daughter!
I’m sure it was with her help on the other side and
with the Spirit’s approbation, that Doug and I prepared
for that special experience, and recently found the
dates that were missing for Wenda's parents. Now
they can be sealed to each other and to her!
Because of this whole
experience, I am even more certain of the connection
between all of us — on both sides of the veil
— as we come unto Christ and seek to be His children.
Today, I can sincerely say that I know that we have
a huge cheering section — a heavenly family who cares
about us, loves us, cheers us on, notes our progress
and believes in us. I believe that, like our heavenly
parents, they love us no matter what, and that they
are progressing “over there.”
I know they want what
is best for us, and I suspect they see our finest
qualities, recognize our divine potential, and keep
our weaknesses in perspective far better than we do.
King Benjamin said, “Therefore,
I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable,
always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord
God Omnipotent may seal you his, that you may be brought
to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation,
and eternal life, through the wisdom and power, and
justice, and mercy of him who created all thing, in
heaven and in earth, who is God above all” (Mosiah
5:15).
All who are “sealed his”
are his children. Talk about extended family!
Regardless of our family situation here, that eternal
family is forever ― we are never without family.
Extended Blessings
My experience with Wendla
and my study of the scriptures ― especially
D&C 138 ― have given me much comfort and
hope in the aftermath of my son Brian’s death. I know
that the “dead who repent will be redeemed.” I know
that Wendla had the gospel preached to her in its
purity and power after she died, and that she repented
and accepted it. And I know for sure that she accepted
her temple work. I was there! What a great
tutoring precedent for the situation I faced when
my son took his life!
Brian is now included
in my “loved ones who have gone before,” and I sense
that he is among those who are inspiring and influencing
me. I’m grateful that his name was spoken in the temple
of the Lord when his temple endowment was completed
by proxy a year ago, and I feel deep inside that he
accepted it. I am grateful for Doug's continuing comfort
and support in this situation and grateful for the
blessings we now have of attending the temple together.
Thanks be to God for
our heavenly families! May we will feel their
love and live in such a way that we can be assured
of our place in the heavenly family of Christ. May
we look forward with great joy to a reunion with our
heavenly parents and our extended eternal family.
I can imagine no greater blessing, no greater joy!
