TheDiscipleMD

Many years ago I was lying on the operating table for an injury I had sustained while playing softball. The anesthesiologist looked down at me and said,”Start counting down, beginning at 100!” I started, 100, 99, 98…” That’s all I remember. Next thing I know, hours had passed and I found myself on a bed, freezing to death in a recovery room. It was the strangest feeling to have hours of your life pass, without any recollection of anything. It was as if someone simply erased hours out of my life. I found out that when you go under general anesthetic, that’s the common experience. It’s not like sleeping, it’s different. It’s like having a complete forgetfulness of the time you are under. In the snap of a finger hours are gone. Your living…yet!

Due to this experience, it isn’t that hard for me to understand the doctrine of a “veil” being placed over my mind, blocking my knowledge of a pre-mortal life. It’s really not so different. I know I lived, but I can’t remember. The belief in a pre-existence is more believable to me than just a coming together of genetic materials from two humans, my parents, which formed me into who I am. Interestingly, the belief in a pre-mortal existence is not a doctrine in Christianity, even though there are a number of Biblical passages regarding it.  Among them are references found in Jeremiah, and in Paul’s epistle’s to the Romans and Ephesians.

The gospel of Jesus Christ as restored in this the latter-days, gives us such a greater understanding of who we are, and of our relationship with Heavenly Father. I consider the understanding of who we are to be “fundamental” in understanding the meaning of life. Without a “simple” understanding of our purpose here,  life can seem…well…pointless! And so it feels for many who go through this life without this knowledge. And when one has no comprehension of the plan of life, it can be pretty discouraging. It’s discouraging because this world is not only full of joy and happiness, it is also home to injustice, inequity, sadness and pain.

Great are the promises of the Lord to his people. In the great revelation of Saint John the Divine, he saw a “new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1) And he saw a New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. (vs. 2) And John heard a voice proclaim:

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (vs.3-4)

I am grateful for an understanding of the plan of salvation. It helps me to have great faith in the promises of the gospel. I have great faith that someday peace and harmony will reign on this earth under the direction of our Lord and Savior. I have a testimony that we lived before we came to this earth. This life is just part of that plan.

If we can remain faithful to the covenants and promises we have made, the Lord will not let us down. The time will come when the veil will be removed from our minds, and we will see Him as we knew him. And we will fall down and worship him as our rightful Savior. And He will come again to rule and reign and wipe away our tears.