As children, and as adults, we can’t help but notice the toys of others. This sometimes
causes us to long for things we don’t have, things that are perhaps outside of our reach. Striving
to obtain many of these toys can become a lifetime effort, often leading to disappointment in our
lives whether we obtain them or not. We may even have good intentions in what we are doing,
trying to provide all the things in life we can for our children and spouse––things that maybe we
ourselves didn’t have growing up. That’s not to say that the pursuit of wealth or the pursuit of
excellence in our careers is a bad thing; no, just the opposite. Members of the restored Church of
Jesus Christ often exceed those of other religions (and those who don’t belong to any religion) in
many categories of success, financial or otherwise. But the key to our happiness, both in this life
and the next, comes down to this—what do we plan to do with our wealth and possessions? The
answer to this question has a large bearing on whether or not we will be saved in the kingdom of
God<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
Audrey, while she loved her toys, was happy to share them with everyone who entered
her room. One of the reasons why she was unselfish was because she had simple wants and
desires and didn’t require much to be happy. That made it easy for her to feel gratitude on the
one hand and to share with others on the other. In her own special way, she had risen to become
a leader among the children of the earth, and one highly favored of the Lord.<\/p>
<\/p>
Her mother Barbara was equally special, teaching her young daughter the important
truths of the gospel from the moment she was born. Spoonfuls of baby food—peaches, plums,
apples, and pears—came with patience, long-suffering, and kind laughter. Awaking each
morning, the first thing Audrey saw were her mother’s eyes, experiencing the light of the gospel
through her reassuring smile. Learning to walk was coupled with lessons on how to kneel and
pray. The joy she experienced opening packages on Christmas Day was matched with the
opportunity to visit less fortunate children in the neighborhood, sharing the same joy with them. <\/p>
<\/p>
Audrey’s time on earth might well have been cut short––just like the life of Joseph Smith
was cut short––but these were eventful years for the family, well worth the many tears that were
shed as she completed her work in mortality and moved on to receive exaltation and glory in the
celestial kingdom. <\/p>
Of this we can be comforted by these beautiful words of God given to Joseph found in
History of the Church<\/i>:<\/p>
<\/p>
At the funeral of two-year-old Marian Lyon, the Prophet said: “We have again the
warning voice sounded in our midst, which shows the uncertainty of human life; and in my
leisure moments I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants,
innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent
and interesting. The strongest reasons that present themselves to my mind are these: This world
is a very wicked world; and it <\/i>...<\/i> grows more wicked and corrupt. <\/i>...<\/i> The Lord takes many away,
even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present
world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of
mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them
again. <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
A question may be asked—'Will mothers have their children in eternity?' Yes! Yes!
Mothers, you shall have your children; for they shall have eternal life, for their debt is paid.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Children <\/i>...<\/i> must rise just as they died; we can there hail our lovely infants with the same
glory—the same loveliness in the celestial glory.\"<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Mary Isabella Horne and Leonora Cannon Taylor each lost a young child in death. Sister
Horne recalled that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave the two sisters these words of comfort: “He
told us that we should receive those children in the morning of the resurrection just as we laid
them down, in purity and innocence, and we should nourish and care for them as their mothers<\/i>...<\/i>
and that they would obtain all the intelligence necessary to occupy thrones, principalities and
powers.”<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Audrey pointed to some lollipops in a dish sitting on the nightstand.<\/p>
<\/p>
“Would you like some candy?”<\/p>
<\/p>
“Umm! Those look good,” said Beth in a playful voice. “Where did you get them?”<\/p>
<\/p>
“At the hospital. I have some gummi bears, too,” said Audrey as she got off the bed and
moved over to her secret candy collection stashed away in a box on the other side of the room.<\/p>
<\/p>
“Do you want some?”<\/p>
<\/p>
“Hospital?” asked Beth quietly, almost to herself.<\/p>
<\/p>
At that moment, Barbara, having watched the exchange from the hallway, came into the
room and interrupted.<\/p>
<\/p>
“Audrey, why don’t you take a little nap and let Beth get cleaned up from camp. She can
have a little candy with you after dinner.”<\/p>
“Okay,” responded Audrey in a despondent voice, disappointed that she should be taking
a nap so soon with Beth home again. <\/p>
<\/p>
She closed the box containing the colorful candy and made preparations to lie down. She
moved the panda bear off to the side, but still within range where she could touch it easily.
Taking a nap was one of the new daily chores she had to do every day, but she was obedient. The
door was closed from the outside, and she was left alone in the room.<\/p>
<\/p>
Outside, Beth quickly inquired of her mom, “Hospital? Why? What happened?”<\/p>
<\/p>
“Let’s go in my bedroom where we can talk,” said Barbara.<\/p>
<\/p>
The two entered the parents' bedroom. Barbara closed the door behind them. A fairly
extensive discussion between them ensued. About twenty minutes later, the door opened and
Beth emerged, her mom’s kind but sad eyes following her as she departed the room. Beth walked
through the hallway to the bathroom in a daze, her eyes lacking expression. Minutes before, like
any teenage girl her age, her mind had been filled with thoughts of friends, fun, boys, her
experiences from camp, and the new clothes she would wear for the new school year starting in
September. All of that had changed. She had entered the lone and dreary world.<\/p>
<\/p>
Turning off the light in the bathroom after showering, she quietly opened the door to her
bedroom, trying to avoid waking Audrey from her afternoon nap. Too excited to sleep, Audrey
heard her come in and immediately rose up in bed. Seeing this, Beth smiled at her and shut the
door. She left the room once more to take her soiled clothes from camp to load into the washing
machine down the hallway. As she returned to the bedroom, the noise of the washer announced
her arrival.<\/p>
<\/p>
Her chore done, Beth sat down on her bed and called for Audrey to join her.<\/p>
<\/p>
“I’m kind of tired, too,” said Beth. “Why don’t you bring your pillow and panda bear
over and we can both take a nap together over here.”<\/p>
<\/p>
Audrey reacted quickly. Getting off her bed, she gathered her things and moved over to
her sister’s bed. Beth moved over to receive her, and the two girls lay down on top of the
comforter—it was just nap time, not sleep time. Beth threw a blanket over them both, then
snuggled close and put her arm around her younger sister. Audrey fell asleep quickly and Beth
soon after. <\/p>
<\/p>
For the rest of the summer until school started, Beth kept Audrey company in this manner
during her afternoon nap. The two of them became inseparable, Beth taking Audrey with her
almost everywhere she went. They played games, talked, watched TV, listened to music, washed
dishes, worked outside, and then said their bedtime prayers together beside Audrey’s bed.<\/p>
<\/p>
Visits to the hospital for treatments occurred regularly. Beth missed school as often as her
parents would allow for the drive down to the hospital with Audrey and her mother. For the first
few months, the symptoms were less noticeable and Audrey felt well most of the time. But as <\/p>
time passed, and the disease reached the later stages, the effects on Audrey were becoming more
and more apparent. The doctors could only watch and wait, providing all the pain relief options
to Audrey they could.<\/p>
<\/p>
When at home, Audrey now stayed in bed much more of the time. Nausea, fever,
vomiting, and indiscernible pains occurred regularly. Barbara would come into the room to
check on her hour by hour, and even minute by minute at times. When Beth came home from
school, she would go immediately to Audrey’s side to be with her, taking over the nursing chores
from Barbara. Sitting close by, she would put a washcloth on Audrey's forehead for the fever,
and sometimes sing to her. There were still some happy moments when Audrey felt well enough
to be up out of bed, but her time in life was drawing to a close. <\/p>
<\/p>
Family prayer at the Stewart home, something done infrequently in past years, was now
said faithfully every night right before bedtime. The prayers had a sober feel to them, much
different than family prayers of the past. <\/p>
<\/p>
Lisa and her husband Mike returned home from out of state to visit a number of times,
coming as often as they could. The ward held a special fast for Audrey, with members praying
for her to be comforted, as well as holding out hope for a miracle. The bishop had visited their
home four times already in recent months and, together with Gary, had performed a series of
priesthood blessings. Gary, himself overflowing with the tears of a loving father, and often at the
prodding of Barbara, blessed Audrey still more on other occasions, performing these blessings
entirely on his own. He and Barbara surely were prepared to give up all of their worldly
possessions to find a cure for their daughter. A feeling of consecration came upon them like that
seen in Lawrence Wood, and also in Charles White. Hearing Audrey's cries, they would often
cry themselves, as instant relief for her pains and her pleas for help was not always possible to
provide. The medical costs were also mounting––a consecration of family financial resources
already––putting them into a difficult situation monetarily. But they were somehow able to
manage. Gary’s father, Neil, a successful farmer living in Gary’s old hometown of Rexburg, had
offered early on to help them cover the hospital bills. It was not long into the regular hospital
care of Audrey that Gary had to take him up on that offer. Pride in the ability to provide for one’s
family had quickly given way to reality.<\/p>
<\/p>
These were very tough times for the family, a test of their faith in God, their emotions
and mental health, and their ability to endure. If faithful, like the pioneers of old, a celestial
crown awaited each of them in the eternal world... “thrones, principalities and powers<\/i>.<\/i>”<\/i><\/p>"}