Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Robbery and Other Updates.

The robbery has officially been dealt with and I think we are almost done with it. The police called yesterday and had us come and pick up our stuff that was stolen and so we did. The only things we got back were my computer (which was all I wanted back) and the kids Nintendo DS and some things we didn't know were missing. Funny that I hadn't even missed them. All that is left is the insurance claim.

I am really greatful that we got my computer back, even though I went and bought a new one. My book is on it and I really didn't want to start over (although I had been inspired to make a hard copy of it a few days before the robbery). I know that Heavenly Father was watching out for me and has helped me get it back.

Our neighborhood is a bit freaked out and they are having a meeting tonight about it and they have asked me to speak. I guess I can tell everyone how they can be a great target??? No really I will be telling them what we did wrong and give them an update on what happened and what is going on now. For your information the robbers have been caught and are in jail. They were mostly underage and will be dealt with in the juvenile system. The chief of police will speak after I do.

On a more upbeat note, I was assigned to speak today at the old folks home in our stake and I really enjoyed that. It is like teaching the sunbeams except the spirit is different - the same but different. (There isn't any coloring or activity games.) They are such lovely people and love music. I sang songs with them (yes me, they don't care if you have a beautiful voice and I didn't either) and taught about the Holy Ghost. It is always good to have a good topic to speak on.

Sunday both Paul and I will be speaking in Church and the topic they have assigned us is "Gaining a Knowledge of the Gospel" Paul has been working really hard on his talk and has given it to me three times now. It is really a beautiful talk and I am excited to hear him give it again on Sunday. It is full of insight and is really sweet. I am not sure what mine will be yet. I have so much and nothing to say! I think I'll do more of the nothing and give all the time to Paul.

I have been reading the book "Mine Errand from the Lord" by Pres. Packer and it is such a beautiful book. There are so many insights and amazing lessons in it. It is quickly becoming my favorite book. Of course my favorite book is usually the one I am reading at the time.

He tells a very sweet story about seeing his grandmother after she died that struck a very tender cord with me. I will quote it here for you as I am not the greatest story teller. He said:

"There is no distance in death. The spirit world we know is here around us, but the veil is there, and the curtain is there. On occasions we can see and on more occasions we can feel those who have gone beyond. . .

I saw my mother once. It was a vision or a dream, more real than just a dream. She had died in her seventies, died a very painful, long-suffering death. There are two words that could describe my mother when I saw her: the one is beautiful, and the other is glorious. I wondered why I was priviledged to see her.

Then one day President Spencer W. Kimball in a meeting said that he had seen his father. He described an experience about like I have described to you. He said, "I wondered for a long time why I was blessed with that experience. I finally came to know that it was his way of saying that he approved of me, that he approved of my life and what I was doing."

I had the experience that was described by both President Kimball and Pres. Packer with my Grandfather Reeder. It was very sweet but I did not understand it either. I was able to see him after his death in a dream/vision and the only words to describe him were beautiful and glorious. He did not speak to me and only conveyed the knowledge that he had just been with Brent my brother. The next morning I learned that He had died and I knew that it was him. He was so young and beautiful. I remember being in awe of his beauty and the glory that surrounded him. I was questioned as to why I got the experience and have wondered many times myself.

I suppose I needed this to let me know that I am ok, that I am not off in left field and that if my Grandfather who is in Heaven and knows more than I do approves of me then maybe I am ok. I have always assumed that it was to let me and others know that he is in a place of glory. I hope it is more than that.

I am sure that even if you don't have the experience to see anyone who has passed on, just as Pres. Packer said that we can feel the presents of those who have passed on and I wonder if this is not the same thing. I have spoken to many who have felt the presents of Grandpa Reeder and others since they passed on and I believe that if they are with us, they are with us!

9 comments:

Amy said...

Wow! I hadn't heard about the robbery. I hope everything is okay with you all. That's scary. :-(

Thanks so much for sharing the passage from Elder Packer's book and your experiences. There is such incredible peace found in this knowledge for me. I had an experience too, but it wasn't quite the same as yours. I'm not sure who was visiting, but my Morgan, who was about a year old at the time, sure knew them. It was an amazing and humbling experience.

Anonymous said...

What is it with granpa Reeder? On my mission I was having some of the toughest days of my life. I was thinking of coming home in the MTC, early in the morning as I was studying my spanish it was as clear as day that granpa was siting right next to me. He let me know that I had made the right chose to not get married and go on a mission, that it was going to be tuff, but I could DO IT!!! How true those feelings and impression were and are. I have such a great love and respect for that man, he raised a good women, and he still cares about us.

MaRea Hess

Anonymous said...

What is it with granpa Reeder? On my mission I was having some of the toughest days of my life. I was thinking of coming home in the MTC, early in the morning as I was studying my spanish it was as clear as day that granpa was siting right next to me. He let me know that I had made the right chose to not get married and go on a mission, that it was going to be tuff, but I could DO IT!!! How true those feelings and impression were and are. I have such a great love and respect for that man, he raised a good women, and he still cares about us.

MaRea Hess

Laurie Meredith said...

How scary about the robbery. I'm glad things have turned out ok. That's a neat experience with your grandpa. I remember feeling the same for just a brief flash with my grandma when I was writing about her for a family history book my cousin was putting together. I felt like she was standing right behind me almost chuckling because the experience I was writing about was a funny one, but it brought tears to my eyes because it was so real.

Lindsey Smith said...

I love that we are lucky enough to have the knowledge that God sends Angels to us in times of need. I don't think it's just those who have passed on; I think it is also those who are going to come one day. When I was younger I felt the presence of my son one night, he was there with me until I fell asleep. How lucky are we to know that God loves us enough to send us his Angels to watch over us. Thanks for sharing your experience, I needed it tonight:)

Lindsey Smith said...

I love that we are lucky enough to have the knowledge that God sends Angels to us in times of need. I don't think it's just those who have passed on; I think it is also those who are going to come one day. When I was younger I felt the presence of my son one night, he was there with me until I fell asleep. How lucky are we to know that God loves us enough to send us his Angels to watch over us. Thanks for sharing your experience, I needed it tonight:)

Tibbitts Paperbag said...

I'll bet your talks where wonderful. Your blog has spawned some wonderful comments on angelic visitation. It's a topic I have been pondering today as it was the topic of our sunday school lesson. I couldn't wait to come home and look up these two quotes.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “That means,[speaking of the ministering of angels] as I interpret it, that if you live worthy of the priesthood, you have the right to receive and enjoy the very power of heavenly beings to guide you, to protect you, to bless you” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1982, 64; or Ensign, Nov. 1982, 45).



Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke of the relationship between partaking of the sacrament and receiving the ministering of angels:

“Through the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost but also to the ministering of angels, for ‘angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ’ (2 Nephi 32:3). So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 51; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 39).

Love it!

theadventursofsidandlinda said...

What an experience you have had with the robbery and recovery. Your Grandfather Reeder was an amazing person and his influence continues to be felt and appreciated by his posterity. He had great depth of perception and understanding. He loved people and they loved him. He had the innate ability to know who a person really was regardless of what they said or did. He neither sought nor enjoyed the spotlight but his wisdom and spirituality were appreciated and recognized by those who loved him. He continues to care for and about us all.

TnD said...

I've never hear that experience before. I wish I had meant grandpa Reeder. Dave remembers him so fondly too.