THE KISS OF DEATH AND A PROMISE

My father is not a perfect man by any stretch of the imagination, but he is not an evil man.  I consider myself to be in the same boat.  I abhor evil - but stumble and in many instances do err.  My wife has complained that I do not accurately represent myself on this blog - and generally just stick to the good stuff while glossing over my personal imperfections.  I tell her that I choose to preach to the standard, while confessing that I am imperfect.  That is implied.  When I speak in Sacrament Meeting, I always give a disclaimer that I am preaching the standard - something to be aspired to - and that we ALL will fall short of that standard.  Thus the need for repentance and the saving merits of our Lord and Savior.  There is no hypocrisy in that.

I have shared many things about my father.  One I have not is that he has repeatedly told me that he will not die (as we normally think of it).  He is pretty resolute that he will be "twinkled" - and I am guessing when the Savior comes in glory.  My dad is almost 83 years old.  He is not too far off from the median age of all of his siblings when they died, especially his other two brothers.  So, I have wondered after his statement - and have traditionally just thought he was just a little crazy, seeing that he would have to be in his 100's in order for that to realistically happen.  Lately, after reading Visions, I have thought about it and wondered if he could be right.  Things could happen QUICKLY and the changes would happen at the moment Christ came, if we are righteous.

I have mentioned many times about my father dying several times and the key person that sent him back for more (punishment), was his g-father who was the Patriarch in the Cedar City, UT Stake back in the early 1900's.  He died the year my father was born, but was able to give my father his first patriarchal blessing as a young six month old baby.  His mother (daughter of the patriarch) was the scribe and was adept at shorthand.  She would have taken that blessing down and then expanded it for the average reader.  I suspect that he was given that promise by the hand of his Patriarch at that time.  I know that this Patriarch was a good man, just judging by the stories that abound about his willingness to help anyone who was in need.  I am not sure how adept he was at the gift of prophecy, but I do know that he is a good man - and is a key player on the other side.  You don't get into these positions unless you are a good or a just man.  God qualifies whom He chooses for His assignments.

I have had many people ask or comment that the Second Coming will be quite some time into the future.  I am not positive, but my dad is not getting any younger and I imagine that it will have to be sooner rather than later.

Pray and find out for yourselves.