"To look back," said he, "and see the wonderful ways through which the
Lord has brought us to this perfection, fills my heart with praise to
Him. Now we are beyond the power of death and the evil one. Now the
pure, life-giving spirit of God flows in our veins instead of the blood
of mortality. Now we can know the two sides of things. We understand the
good, because we have been in contact with the evil. Our joy is perfect,
because we have experienced pain and sorrow. We know what life is,
eternal life, because we have passed through the ordeal of death."
"Yes, Father teaches a good school."
"And we have learned this truth," said she, "that existence itself is a
continuous penalty or reward. The children of God reap as they sow from
eternity to eternity."
"Yes; then dwell on this thought for a moment: Our lives have just
begun, as it were. We have eternity before us, and we are only now
equipped to meet it."
"I am lost in the thought. But tell me about this thousand years of
earthly peace and the last great change. Husband, I am a pupil now, and
you the teacher."
"There is much to tell in contemplating not only the realities but the
possibilities of the future. This earth has for some time been enjoying
its Sabbath of peace and rest. He who rebelled in the beginning and
fought against God is bound, and Christ is sole King of the earth. His
laws go to the ends thereof, and all nations must obey them. The Saints
are building holy places, and working for the living and the dead. No
graves are now made, as the bodies of the Saints do not sleep in the
dust. Thus it will go on until the thousand years are ended. Then Satan
will be loosed for a little season; but his time will be short. Then
comes the last great scene. The Lord will finish His work. In the clouds
of heaven, with power and great glory, He will be seen with all His
angels. The mortal Saints yet on the earth will be instantly changed and
caught up to meet Him. The holy cities will be lifted up. Then the
elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth will die as all things
must, and be resurrected in perfection and glory, to be a fit abode,
eternally, for celestial beings. All things will become new; all things
will become celestial, and the earth will take its place among the
self-shining stars of heaven. Then shall we receive our eternal
inheritance, with our children and our families. Then shall we be in
possession of that better and more enduring substance spoken of by the
prophets. All things shall be ours, 'whether life or death, or things
present, or things to come;' all are ours, and we are Christ's and
Christ is God's."
"Why, then we will be like unto God."
"And is it strange that children should become like their father?"
"I remember now," said she, "as distinctly as though it were yesterday,
what Father promised us in our first estate, that if we were faithful,
we should be added upon, and still added upon. Do you remember it?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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