Chapter 9

 

Nora then took the apple half showing the star. “The apple is symbolic of the fruit in the garden which brought death to all men, and the star in the apple is symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem, which held the promise of life after death to all men… forever and witnessed to the wise men that this was the Christ child and the embodiment of that promise. He was the prophesied Messiah, born to fulfill his mission on earth as our Savior—to save us all from death and to pay ransom for the sins of all those who would repent and thereby accept his Atonement. Do you remember the story of that first Christmas? The book of Luke says that the shepherds not only rejoiced but angels appeared and heavenly voices were heard, praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Nora paused and looked into Rachel’s eyes again. Rachel was listening raptly and nodding her head in agreement.

What was this strange feeling? Rachel thought as her heart went out to Nora. Was this the affirmation she had been looking for? She choked back a sob.

“Now you can see why Christmas is so special.” Nora said with a smile as she pressed her lips together.

Rachel again nodded and remarked, “I guess that I only wanted God to heal my mother with a miracle and that I really didn’t try very hard to understand what my mother was trying to teach me. Then when she passed on, everything became confusing and jumbled. All I wanted was my mom back to stop my heartache and fill the void. I knew she talked about Eternal Life, but that was way into the future. I have never understood it to be as simple as you just explained it.” Pausing with an inquisitive look on her face she asked, “Does this mean that because there are different kingdoms to which we can go after we are resurrected, that we might not be together?”

“Yes,” Nora answered, “There are three kingdoms of glory, The Sun or Celestial, the Moon or Terrestial, and the Stars or Telestial according to Paul. The “Highest Heaven, or Third Heaven,” as Paul calls it, is the Celestial Kingdom where perfected people can live with their families in the presence of God and his son our Savior. This is where we want to be forever. Your mother tried to impress upon you the grave importance of Eternal Life as life in the Celestial Kingdom is called, so that you would seek it out and gain the knowledge of making the necessary covenants allowing you to be together forever. Now remember no one is perfect, but through repentance and the ransom paid for our sins we may become perfect just as Jesus commanded us in Matthew to be perfect. He would not command us to do something that was impossible now, would he? There would not be warnings by the apostles of losing one’s reward or the command to endure to the end if there were not eternal judgments associated with imperfect living. The way to perfection is through the Atonement by repenting thus keeping all of the commandments when we sin.”

“I had never known there was a difference between living forever in one of the lesser kingdoms and Eternal Life which is living in the Celestial Kingdom in the presence of God. So when my mother talked about Eternal Life with Heavenly Father and Jesus it has to be the Celestial Kingdom that you mentioned” Rachel declared.

Nora nodded her head in agreement, “That is where God is and where He is our Father and we were his spirit children as noted in Hebrews. We wanted to become like him in every way, so we came to earth to go through a probationary state to prove ourselves. We, here on earth are given opportunities to act like Gods, knowing good and evil and having children of our own. We can choose to be resurrected unto good or evil. If we love God by keeping his commandments we can return to him and we are promised to be heirs of all he has which is also to become like him. If we make mistakes here, we can repent and our sins can be forgiven. The way is through Christ as he stated” she said in a quiet yet firm voice. “In order to progress from our first estate where we lived with God before this earth life, we needed to follow Christ’s perfect example of coming to earth to receive a body and then after we die we will receive a resurrected body. All are resurrected, the just and the unjust. What we want is to be resurrected just and receive a glorified body to Eternal Life the same as Christ received which is a glorified perfect body. We too can receive the same.”

Nora paused and looked toward heaven with her lips pressed into a smile then spoke, “Earlier I told you that you brought a glorious message to me when you gave me the apples. Let me explain. For the past twenty years; each Christmas day my Francillo would bring out an apple. I would cut it just the same way I cut this apple. Then we would each take our half of the apple showing the star of promise. We would then pray and thank God for his son, our Savior being born on Christmas day and we would ask for confirmation that the gospel plan really is true. We wanted so much to be together forever and believe in the plan of salvation as described in the scriptures and that we could, after death truly live forever together as a family with each other and our children. After our prayer each Christmas morning we would renew our promise to each other that whosoever of us might go first from this world would send a message that it was really true. So when you brought those apples this Christmas day the spirit came so strongly that you were the one bearing that glorious promised message. I just couldn’t control myself. I never expected the message to be brought by a living angel, and where I used to have faith, I now know without a shadow of doubt that the meaning and purpose of Christmas is true!”

When Rachel heard this warm shivers ran up her spine and she felt that same type of radiating warmth flow from her heart through her very being that she had felt the night before only more intense inasmuch that she was over-come and could not hold back the tears that immediately flooded her eyes. She was so overwhelmed that she felt weak and couldn’t speak.

Nora noticed her tears and walked over to where Rachel was sitting and put her arms around her to comfort and support her.

After some time Rachel acknowledged to Nora, “Yes, I also feel it is true, I can’t explain it, but all of a sudden I just know. All day yesterday and especially last night, I have been feeling my mother’s presence helping me cope with the rough times- just as I can feel her now.”

“Rachel, even though you feel the presence of your mother, the warm feeling you feel is the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the truth. What I have told you is true,” It is by the Holy Ghost that you know it is true! Nora affirmed. “Because of Jesus Christ, your mother’s spirit is alive and both of you will be resurrected and can be together forever. You can be with her again, I promise. Your mother is not gone but lives through the veil where she still loves you and wants you to understand the plan and what you have to do here on earth. That is why you can feel her.” Nora spoke softly.

Then it came to Rachel. Now she knew why her mother had said with such conviction, “Christmas is a good time to go through the veil.” Rachel burst into tears and got out of her chair. She stood in front of Nora and fell into her arms, crying shamelessly as feelings of joy and gratitude flooded her heart.

“It makes me full of joy beyond anything I have ever felt,” Rachel paused as she felt all of the frustration she had held towards God melt away like frost in the morning sun and spoke with quivering lips, “I too know it is true. I now know why it took so long for me to understand. I wasn’t ready and didn’t have enough information and experience to grasp it until now. I just couldn’t see it because of my hurt and frustration.” Now I understand it better and feel with my whole heart it is true.

Nora nodded her head, “It is the same feeling with me, a feeling that you know and you know that God knows you know.”

Rachel uttered with a sobbing voice “I will never forget this Christmas and the understanding it has brought to me, to finally know the true meaning of Christmas! Thank you for the best Christmas I have ever had.” Rachel gave Nora another big hug.

Nora responded, “I don’t think I can ever forget this Christmas either because I received confirmation from my Francillo when you brought me apples this Christmas day, it is truly miraculous. It seems that if we have hope, Christmas can work miracles on all of us.”

It was then that Rachel noticed a light in the kitchen of her house.

“My dad might be home. I see the kitchen light on,” She blurted.

“Well you better go see,” Nora added.

“This afternoon you’re welcome to come over for Christmas dinner,” Rachel added.

“ Thank you, I think I will, and if it is OK I’ll come over a little early to help with the preparation?” Nora graciously responded.

“Of course,” Rachel replied.

“ And I’ll bring over a pie made with these special apples for dessert. I guess you know now why apple pies are so special to me?” Nora questioned.

Rachel smiled, “I think from now on they will also be special to me for the same reason” she exclaimed as she smiled and winked.