As I come near to the release of my book I would like to offer some insight and explanation of the purpose of writing my book.
I felt guided to write my book “Kory” even before Kory’s death in 2002. I see that date and think “Wow!” I can’t believe that it will be 10 years this year since Kory passed away. It has been a painful but an incredible journey. To get a book into print is a long process. It took almost two years from the time the book was selected for publication. It took me five years before I was even able to write down the events of Kory’s death. The book then took two years to write the first draft. Unfortunately I have not been able to write in my journal since Kory’s death. I hope that I will be able to again someday. The experience I had in writing the book was joyful, sad, painful, and inspiring. I would grab a box of tissues for the hard parts and cry and write. Some chapters would just flow and be there. They would pour out of me with divine inspiration and after the chapter was written I would re-read the chapter and be amazed that I wrote it. I can tell you I did not write alone. Not only did I have Kory’s help, but also more importantly, my Father in Heaven guided me through the process. I know all of us come from different stages in our beliefs. Some will look at my book and dismiss the content as not true or worthy of their time. That is okay. My purpose is not to preach or convince anyone of spiritual matters. That is a very personal journey and I believe everyone should come to there own personal conclusions. I am a devote member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have a strong testimony of the restored gospel and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ with all my heart. I do not want anyone to misunderstand the fact that my book and blog posts do not represent the church but are my own personal opinions and experiences. I love the gospel and am so grateful for the knowledge it gives me to answer my questions. The purpose of writing the book is to help others understand the society that exists in the Spirit World and the incredible love our Heavenly Father has for His children. Even the smallest fears and hurts that we have are His concern. If my book and my blog posts can give some measure of comfort to those who read them, then I have accomplished my purpose.
I would like to clarify some aspects of giving such delicate but meaningful information and my purpose for this. It has been interesting when I tell people about my book. Yes, it is about my son and his death. But it is so much more than that. I have an incredible gift that has been given to me. I have regular visits with Kory. I do not go to the camp of mediums or séances or anything like that. I cannot receive messages for anyone else. It is just a son talking to his mother on a regular basis and telling me what he is doing and how he helps us. There is a spiritual aspect to this but some of the aspects of that are of a personal nature and I will not share that publicly. I have been struggling with how this will be perceived since I started to write the book and actually since my visits started with Kory. I am not a crazy grief stricken mother. I am just a normal mom. Yes, sad at the death of my sweet precious Kory, but intact and pretty normal. I also am a very private person so it was hard to put myself out in the public eye. I would rather not, but I believe the message is more important than my comfort. I have been praying about how to handle this topic and as it always happens I was lead to a wonderful source. In my extensive library I had picked up a book that was awesome and gave me the perfect answer to many inquiries I have received about my blogs and the subject of my book. The book is:
“They Saw beyond Death” by Arvin S. Gibson. He had a few different authors give different insights. The first was one of my favorite authors in regard to the subject of the life beyond. Duane S. Crowther. The author of “Life Everlasting.” I learned more about the spirit world than any other book. He gave some information that answered those questions perfectly so I would like to share them with you. His book was published for mostly the LDS population (abbreviation for the members of my church) but is for anyone. In Brother Crowther’s account he states:
It has lots of answers! It added acceptance and respectability to those who have experienced communications from beyond the veil. Before, some who shared such experiences were regarded as odd, strange, or peculiar, and sometimes were told by family members not to discuss such things. Some “do not share” advocates tried to class all the next-life things being divulged by those who came back from the spirit world as “religious doctrines” and inappropriately tried to apply “doctrinal” tests concerning who should not be the recipient of a “revelation from God.” This book caused a lot of that unfortunate “labeling” to be prejudice, and fear of the unknown.
The book provides tremendous comfort to those who are approaching death, as well as to those who have just lost a loved one.
It also became apparent to Brother Crowther, states that as time went by, that his book was known by those who now reside beyond the veil. Of communications they had received from close family members or recipient’s of those beyond the veil, counseling them to obtain and read the book. On several particular pages, because it held an answer for a question or need the person was trying to resolve.
Also in the eternal scheme of things, that the time came when the Lord chose to open up the windows of heaven and pour out more knowledge about the life to come- not only to Latter-day Saints, but to people throughout the world.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it states: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven”
I use the 13th article of faith as pertinent in my experiences and information I gather. “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things”
I have had people question how I feel about sharing these experiences. I would like to use Duane S. Crowther’s explanation of this subject matter, because he states it perfectly.
In the section “Shared,” or “Secret”? in Arvin Gibson’s book, “They Saw Beyond Death” pg. 38 by Duane S. Crowther.
One other item I was asked to comment on in this chapter was my personal opinion concerning whether communications received from the spirit world should be shared with others or kept confidential. This “informal debate” sometimes arises in Sunday School classes and other Church gatherings, and it is quite clear that two schools of thought on this question exist within Mormondom. Both viewpoints have some sound scriptural basis, and various statements by living and past General Authorities can be cited to support the defense of either of the two philosophical positions.
It should be noted in this regard that when it comes to the “first principles of the gospel,” the Latter-day Saints are essentially of one mind.
“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Article of Faith 4).
On other less portentous issues there is sometimes a spectrum of opinions. Adherents to one or another position can sometimes vigorously defend their beliefs, and the Church can and does accept those adherents who espouse different points of view as good and faithful Latter-day Saints. One such issue has to do with the sharing of “sacred” personal experiences.
Some of the Saints are in the “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” camp (Matt. 5:16). Their effort is to gain more knowledge and then to inform and enlighten others. They firmly believe that the sharing of accounts of near-death and life-after-death experiences and communications is informative, faith-promoting, and of general benefit to almost everyone who hears and reads them. They are seeking to expand the body of knowledge on numerous after-mortality subjects, and they feel that their efforts, most definitely, are inspired by the Holy Ghost (when the individual has properly prepared and placed himself “in tune”), and that they are furthering the Lord’s work in these last days through their efforts.
In the other camp are those who base their position in another of the Master’s injunctions in his great Sermon on the Mount: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matt. 7:6). These individuals seem to be deeply concerned with “who” can receive “what” revelations. In the extreme, they tend to regard themselves as “protectors of the faith.”
These two philosophies sometimes reside side-by-side in our Church organizations. When an issue is raised which relates to these philosophic and opponents in both camps. Typically, the scenario arises when someone from the “light shine before men” philosophy makes a statement or cites a quotation which is beyond the other camp’s accepted definition of doctrine, so a spokesman for the “cast not your pearls’ philosophy speaks up and attempts to protect the listeners from something he feels may be “not accepted as doctrine” because it doesn’t meet his stringent “straining” criteria.
So, I expect the two points of view are able to coexist, side by side. But there is danger if we ever come to a point where a person in a position of authority exerts his personal viewpoint from one camp or the other to the point that it is presented to those in his sphere of influence as “the doctrine” or “the official Church policy” on the subject, and attempts to exert restrictive, punitive or disciplinary action against individuals with the opposing point of view simply because that is their viewpoint.
When either camp is setting forth its viewpoints in a Church meeting, I find it beneficial to evaluate (1) whether I and others are feeling the Spirit as we listen to them speak, and (2) whether I perceive them to be speaking under the influence of that Holy Spirit. In other words, I believe that LDS members have the right- and the obligation- to determine the ethereal legitimacy of various teachings through personal revelation.
I have observed that there is one line of assertion, by the “cast not your pearls” believers, that repeatedly turns off the Spirit of the discussion. That occurs when they vigorously assert, or even subtly imply, that any communication from beyond the veil that is received is (1) either from God or the devil, with no other source allowed, (2) is subject to the tests of “authority” typically applied to theological revelations directing Church action, (3) is “sacred” simply because it is dealing with some aspect of the spirit world, (4) can be judged as true or false based on the supposed character of the recipient or the church membership or leadership status of the recipient. Their approach invariably brings an element of contention into the meeting, and they forget the Lord’s command “that they should not contend one with another”
I hope this weeks post will help you understand my motives and help you know me a little better.