{"chapter_no":"27","chapter_title":"Mother and Daughter","book_id":"2","book_name":"The Story of James","subchapter_no":"0","page_no":"305","page_number":"1","verses_count":0,"total_pages":11,"page_content":"

 <\/p>

Chapter 27<\/p>

Mother and Daughter<\/h1><\/p>

 <\/p>

Barbara sees Audrey’s eyes open one last time before she passes awa<\/i>y—Audrey awakens in a
new world;<\/i> the bells of heaven ring to welcome her home—Both Beth and Barbara struggle to cope with
the tragedy, lashing out at God—Beth humbles herself quickly—Barbara later humbles herself and finds
peace to her soul.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey’s physical condition was dire. Her face was pale, and her arms and legs were
noticeably thinner. Unconscious most of the time, she rested quietly in an intensive care room of
the hospital, scarcely aware of the world around her. <\/p>

 <\/p>

In recent days, the three immediate family members––Gary, Barbara, and Beth––had
been admitted to Audrey’s room each morning at 10:00 for a one-hour visitation period. The two
o’clock session in the afternoon was longer, permitting a stay of up to two hours, but was limited
to only one visitor at a time. Barbara, alone, stayed with Audrey during that time.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Earlier in the day, the latest information about Audrey’s condition had been provided by
the doctor, preparing Barbara for the grim events to come over the next twenty-four hours.
Seated next to the bed, she looked upon her child solemnly. Depression had been her constant
companion from the first moment she had heard the word “leukemia” spoken by Dr. Wood. It
greeted her first thing in the morning as she arose, and was still there in her mind when she went
to sleep at night. It was there with her now. When had she smiled last? Weeks or perhaps even
months ago. Nobody was sure. And if she had smiled recently, it was likely a forced,
uncomfortable smile to keep up appearances, rather than the normal, beautiful smile that was her
trademark. Barbara looked physically grim in her own right—weakened and pale, and sickly in
appearance from a lack of sleep.<\/p>

 <\/p>

There had been little activity from Audrey in the prior visits of the family. On this day’s
visit, however, about halfway through, there was a sudden little movement from Audrey on the
bed. Barbara jumped excitedly to her feet—Audrey's eyes had opened! There was no movement
of her head or body, but Audrey’s eyes moved towards her, glancing back with a hint of a smile.
With tears in her eyes, Barbara gently took hold of her hand, feeling the small amount of life that
was there. Overwhelmed to be conscious again, Audrey remained motionless amid the tubes and
monitoring devices attached to her. The surroundings seemed unfamiliar; she didn't understand
what was happening. Her curiosity continued for almost a minute, but then her eyes closed
slowly, never to open on earth again. Barbara left the room at the end of the visit and reported
the bittersweet event to Gary, Beth, and the nurses in the hallway. <\/p>

Hours passed. The evening came, and then the nighttime came. Lights were turned down
to allow for rest. These were the final hours of Audrey’s life. The scene inside the room was both
tragic and beautiful.<\/p>

 <\/p>

In Les Miserables, <\/i>there is a brief moment in which Jean Valjean stands motionless in the
shadows looking upon the peaceful slumber of the good Bishop of D––. Although poised to steal
the six sets of silver forks and spoons from the cupboard, and intending to flee the house quickly,
he becomes at this moment simultaneously confused, touched, and astounded by what he sees in
the countenance of the righteous man sleeping before him. <\/p>

 <\/p>

In this scene of the Bishop and Jean Valjean from the book, we replace with Audrey at
rest and Barbara as she reentered the room:<\/p>

 <\/p>

This room was in a state of perfect calm. Barbara advanced with precaution, taking care
not to knock against the furniture. She could hear, at the extremity of the room, the even and
tranquil breathing of the sleeping Audrey, suddenly coming to a halt near the bed. Nature
sometimes mingles her effects and her spectacles with our actions with sombre and intelligent
appropriateness, as though she desired to make us reflect. For the last half-hour a large cloud
had covered the heavens. At the moment when Barbara paused in front of the bed, this cloud
parted, as though on purpose, and a ray of light, traversing the long window, suddenly
illuminated the little girl’s pale face. She was sleeping peacefully. She lay in her bed dressed in
her hospital gown, covered and kept comfortable by warm blankets. Her head was thrown back
on the pillow, in the careless attitude of repose; her hand, adorned with a CTR ring, and whence
had fallen so many good deeds and so many holy actions, was lying near the edge of the bed.
Her whole face was illumined with a vague expression of satisfaction, of hope, and of felicity. It
was more than a smile, and almost a radiance. She bore upon her brow the indescribable
reflection of a light which was invisible. The soul of the just contemplates in sleep a mysterious
heaven. A reflection of that heaven rested on Audrey. It was, at the same time, a luminous
transparency, for that heaven was within her. That heaven was her conscience.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

At the moment when the ray of moonlight superposed itself, so to speak, upon that inward
radiance, the sleeping Audrey seemed as in a glory. It remained, however, gentle and veiled in
an ineffable half-light. That moon in the sky, that slumbering nature, that room which was so
calm, the hour, the moment, the silence, added some solemn and unspeakable quality to the
venerable repose of this little girl, and enveloped in a sort of serene and majestic aureole her
thinned-out brown hair, those closed <\/i>eyes, that<\/i> face in which all was hope and all was
confidence, and that slumber of an infant.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Barbara, her facial expression stoic, softly sang to Audrey an old Austrian Christmas
carol:<\/p>

 <\/p>

Still, still, still,<\/i><\/p>

One can hear the falling snow.<\/i><\/p>

For all is hushed,<\/i><\/p>

The world is sleeping,<\/i><\/p>

Holy Star its vigil keeping.<\/i><\/p>

Still, still, still,<\/i><\/p>

One can hear the falling snow.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Sleep, sleep, sleep,<\/i><\/p>

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.<\/i><\/p>

The night is peaceful all around you,<\/i><\/p>

Close your eyes,<\/i><\/p>

Let sleep surround you.<\/i><\/p>

Sleep, sleep, sleep,<\/i><\/p>

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Dream, dream, dream,<\/i><\/p>

Of the joyous day to come.<\/i><\/p>

While guardian angels without number,<\/i><\/p>

Watch you as you sweetly slumber.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey remained in this tranquil state for the next few hours. Then, at precisely 1:33 AM,
her time was at hand—<\/p>

 <\/p>

There were sounds. She could hear things... what was happening?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Her eyes opened. She could see things, pleasant things—a vast, beautiful paradise
encompassed the space all around her. <\/p>

 <\/p>

She no longer felt sickness or pain. Her existence, her physical feelings, and her emotions
were all suddenly wonderful again.<\/p>

 <\/p>

She was alive! She was home! She was happy! <\/p>

 <\/p>

Sister Audrey Stewart’s work on earth was complete. The bells of heaven rang to
welcome her home. <\/p>

 <\/p>

There was a new sociality here for her to discover and enjoy. A glorious resurrection and
the gift of eternal life and exaltation would come next. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Nevertheless, within the hearts of her family and friends on earth, a deep void remained.
Her death was expected, but no easier to accept when the time came. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The following morning, Gary and Barbara remained behind at the hospital, while Beth
rode back to Millville with Lisa and Mike. There was sadness in the car and only a few words
were spoken. Beth had been emotionally ill for some time watching Audrey’s condition worsen
day by day. School had been of little interest to her recently. She had missed the last ten days of
class to be with her parents and Audrey down in Salt Lake City, coordinating class work with her
teachers where possible. Gary and Barbara had allowed this; they needed Beth and she needed
them to make it through these terrible days.<\/p>

Dropped off in the driveway at home, Beth used her mother’s keys to enter through the
front door. Once inside, she went straight to her room and closed the door. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey’s bed was carefully made up, but some of her toys were still on the floor in the
corner—a stark reminder of Audrey’s absence. Holding Audrey’s panda bear in her arms, she
flung herself face first onto the bed and cried all over again. With nobody else at home, there was
nothing to stop her from crying freely as loud as she could, filling the house with weeping
sounds. Outwardly she cried, but inwardly she did more than cry. <\/p>

 <\/p>

A battle was raging between her and God. She yelled and screamed at Him in her mind,
words and emotions that only He could hear.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Why? Why? Why?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Why did Y<\/i>ou let this happen to her?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

She used the impersonal “You” instead of the more formal “Thou” in her impromptu
prayer dialogue at this moment, a subtle way of striking back at God.<\/p>

 <\/p>

She was such a wonderful little girl...<\/i> <\/i>kind and sweet to everyone...<\/i> <\/i>why did <\/i>Y<\/i>ou do this to
her?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

A subtle shift in tactics. Her first charge was that God had merely allowed it to happen,
but now she was saying that He had actually caused<\/i> it to happen, ascribing evil intention to God,
not just apathy.<\/p>

 <\/p>

We <\/i>prayed day<\/i> and night for <\/i>Y<\/i>ou to help the doctors make her better! <\/i><\/span><\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey believed in miracles! I believed in miracles! <\/i><\/span><\/p>

 <\/p>

She cried furiously until she was exhausted, undergoing an intense level of suffering like
that of James when he endured the anxiety of eternal punishment in the hospital room. <\/span><\/p>

 <\/p>

Rolling over on her back, she looked up at the ceiling, as though the ceiling itself were
the heavens and God was right there to feel her anger. She cast a bitter and mean look upward as
though shaking her fist at God with her eyes. She succeeded in landing a blow. The meanness
and angry look were very hurtful to her Father in Heaven as He watched over her at this critical
time. It was a horrible thing for her to do, but it was understandable given the circumstances. He
was patient and filled with mercy towards her. The suffering would soon pass<\/span>.<\/p>

 <\/p>

A few minutes later, her emotions cooled, and the house became quiet again. <\/p>

 <\/p>

It was time to try a different approach. She decided to reason with God, helping Him to
understand why He was at fault, and that He had made a big mistake in not curing Audrey as He
was supposed to do.<\/p>

The doctors tried to help her, but <\/i>Y<\/i>ou didn’t seem<\/i> to help them at all. Couldn’t You have
done something? Don’t Y<\/i>ou love Audrey?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

She waited a minute or two for a response, but then lost interest––this kind of dialogue
seemed too soft to use when dealing with an unresponsive and unrepentant God. Bitterness
quickly returned, filling her soul with rage. She looked at the ceiling again, her eyes blazing.<\/p>

 <\/p>

I hate Y<\/i>ou! I hate <\/i>You! I’ll never pray to Y<\/i>ou again!<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth's emotional pain now reached a fever pitch––the highest level, in fact, of her young
life, consuming both mind and body. There seemed to be no way for her to escape this misery.
Her feelings were much like those of a young Jean Valjean during his nineteen years of
imprisonment at Toulon prison. We match her thoughts with his from the book:<\/p>

 <\/p>

These questions she put to God and answered, she judged God and condemned Him. She
condemned Him to her hatred. She made Him responsible for the fate which Audrey had
suffered, and she said to herself that she would no longer hesitate to call Him to account. She
declared to herself that there was no equilibrium between any harm in life which Audrey had
caused and the harm which was being done to her<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

At this <\/i>moment, Beth<\/i> did not rightly know herself what she felt. She was in the shadows;
she suffered in the shadows; she hated in the shadows; one might have said that she hated in
advance of herself. She dwelt in this shadow, feeling her way like a blind man and a dreamer.
Only, at intervals, there suddenly came to her, from without and from within, an access of wrath,
a surcharge of suffering, a livid and rapid flash which illuminated her whole soul, and caused to
appear abruptly all around her, in front, behind, amid the gleams of a frightful light, the hideous
precipices and the sombre perspective of her destiny.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

She grabbed her scriptures, the Bible and the Triple Combination, from off the
nightstand, as if to cast them down to the floor and strike one final blow at God. But thinking
better of it, she only squeezed the two books hard in her hands and then set them back down
beside her—a first act of faith on her part, counteracting the impulses of evil that had come upon
her. It was as though she had faced up to the powerful winds of emotion that had beset her and
then abruptly changed course and done the right thing, using her wisdom and free agency as a
child of God to do good. Suddenly the catalyst, she brought good into the world from within
herself, frustrating both evil and the devil, who otherwise might have had cause to laugh at her
and discuss further plans between them. <\/span><\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth sat up on the bed and looked around the room. The immediate impact of her crying
and anger was that nothing in the world around her had changed. The walls, the large window,
the curtains, the bedposts, the closet where her clothes hung, the lamp next to Audrey’s bed––all
of these things were still there, unaffected by Audrey’s passing. The room had an aura of
permanence about it, seemingly extending an invitation to her now as its lone occupant, to go on
living, to be at peace inside, and to repent<\/span>.<\/p>

She figured it was probably best to gather up Audrey’s things and put them away in
boxes so that her mom wouldn’t see them (and thus, be reminded of them) when she returned
home. Rising to her feet, she went about this task—a second act of faith, and also a task of love.
This, as well as the prior act, were small things in a way, but they were significant because of
their timing, signifying a transition from sin to repentance in less than an hour—the mark of a
righteous young woman prepared to make good decisions in her life. Her mother and father had
taught her well, and her primary and young women teachers in church had taught her well. She
was now like a young pioneer woman standing tall upon the vast, wide-open plains of the United
States looking west. She had helped her mother and father prepare her younger sister for burial in
a makeshift grave and was now ready to take hold of the handcart again and continue on to Zion.
As for her and the panda bear left behind by Audrey, they would serve the Lord.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Already she had started praying inside, pleading forgiveness from God for her prior
outburst. Instinctively, she had known all along that Audrey was happy in her new heavenly
home. Beth had just needed an opportunity to work through her emotions and set them straight.
Life could go on. She would go on.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Later that evening, around 6:30, Gary and Barbara returned home. Barbara was unhappy,
half-crying when she came through the door. Gary had been trying to comfort her all the way
home, but was unsuccessful; she was out of control emotionally and could not be comforted by
anyone. It was soon clear to Beth that there had been a serious fight between them. For as
quickly as Barbara had entered through the front door, she went straight to her bedroom (just as
Beth had done) and slammed the door hard behind her, causing a slight tremor that was felt
throughout the house. There, she lay crying on her bed in a crouched position for the next hour, a
period of crying that went on much longer than even that of Beth. Barbara needed time to be
alone. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth had never seen her mother out of control like this before. The slam of the bedroom
door had shocked her, and was even frightful in a way. But it was also a blessing. She could see
that her mother was human, presenting Beth with an opportunity to serve and to perhaps give
something back to a mom who had always been there for her—a third act of faith on her part,
this time showing mercy and empathy to another even while she herself still suffered inside. In
just a few hours, Beth had come full circle in her emotions. If only Barbara could have seen what
a great daughter she had! The pain Beth felt in the loss of Audrey was now consumed by the
compassion she felt for her mother. She knew one thing for sure––nobody had prayed harder for
a miracle than her mother, nor had anybody suffered more intensely in the past months. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth waited patiently in the kitchen, wanting to be there for her mom when she came out.
An hour later, she finally did come out. Seeing Beth there, she didn’t go right up to her and give
her a hug, something Beth had been expecting. Instead, still consumed with bitterness, she could
only give Beth a weak smile, and then she proceeded to make dinner at the stove. Pulling out a
pan, she put it on the front burner and switched on the heat. She then went to the freezer to
retrieve a pound of ground beef, and with that in hand, she pulled out margarine from the fridge
below. <\/p>

 <\/p>

“Can I help make dinner?” asked Beth.<\/p>

 <\/p>

“No, I’m fine,” responded Barbara. <\/p>

 <\/p>

She did not appear angry, but was somewhat cold and indifferent. <\/p>

 <\/p>

“Don’t you have some homework to do?”<\/p>

 <\/p>

“Okay.”<\/p>

 <\/p>

Barbara, at this moment, was a stranger to the family. She was not able to serve on this
day and bring love to everyone as was her usual manner. Saddened, Beth went into her room and
returned to the kitchen with one of her textbooks from school. Barbara went about her work in
the kitchen, bitter and angry with the Lord, and was somehow demonstrating this to Him by
preparing dinner with coldness in her heart, and without love towards anyone. She was merely an
employee of the Stewart home, no longer acting within her spiritual stewardship as the mother.
In this, she was engaged in a frontal assault upon the Lord that Beth had tried herself a few hours
earlier. Beth watched her for a while, peering over slyly towards the stove as she studied. Soon,
however, she became focused entirely on her reading, even writing down a few notes about the
material she needed to study further. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The smell of food filled the kitchen, and in a little while it was time for dinner. Beth
returned the textbook and note papers to her room and then set the table. Gary, his face somber
and expressionless, came in from outside, washed his hands, and then moved to his chair at the
table. He watched Barbara with concern, but said nothing. Ignoring them both, Barbara served up
the food onto the plates and all sat down to eat. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The mood of the house had calmed somewhat from the prior hour, but then suddenly, and
without allowing for the blessing on the food, Barbara picked up her fork and immediately began
to eat. The normal mealtime routine, that which had been faithfully followed year after year in
the Stewart home, had been intentionally broken. Gary, looking over at Barbara, gently reminded
her that the blessing on the food still needed to be done. To this she reacted by stopping to eat.
Without looking up, she put down her fork and bowed her head. She was showing the Lord that
by putting her fork down she would follow her husband’s lead to promote order, but it was not
because of the gospel or to demonstrate love in the home. The Lord would feel her anger! He
would be sorry about what He had done in allowing her wonderful little daughter to be taken
away from her! Small tears came to Barbara. She wiped her eyes with her fingertips. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Gary gave a much longer prayer on this occasion than the standard Stewart family
blessing on the food. Looking beyond the family’s pain of the moment, he prayed with
conviction and soberness, giving thanks for the many blessings the family had received. Waiting
for the signal that the prayer was over, Barbara immediately started to eat again, but then
suddenly stopped herself. She dropped her fork down hard on the plate making a loud clanging
noise. <\/p>

 <\/p>

That longer prayer was directed at me! He went too far!<\/i><\/p>

How dare Gary give thanks to God of all people!<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Getting up from the table, Barbara dismissed herself to the bedroom, closing the door
behind her. This time, however, she closed the door softly... not yet a first act of faith on her part,
but an indication she was at least trying somewhat to control her emotions. Sensing the hurt,
Beth got up to follow after her, but Gary touched her on the shoulder.<\/p>

 <\/p>

“She’s okay. Let her go,” he said.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Gary and Beth finished eating, then cleared the table and put the food away. That done,
they washed the dishes together. The family supper had been later than usual. It was already dark
outside, approaching the time to turn in. Sleep would be a welcome relief for everyone, marking
the end of the most tragic and stressful day in the history of the family. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Returning to her bedroom, Beth got ready for bed. Getting down upon her knees, she
reconciled herself with the Lord. She was humble and felt compassion towards everyone,
particularly her mother. Her father had set a good example for her, having expressed sincere
gratitude to the Lord in the mealtime prayer. She thanked her Father in Heaven for having given
her such a wonderful father and mother, and again expressed deep regret for her angry words of
the afternoon. She asked that peace might come to her mother to relieve her suffering, and that
they might all live together someday as an eternal family, seeing Audrey again as soon as
possible. <\/p>

 <\/p>

She prayed in this manner for several minutes, then rose up and lay upon her bed to read
with light from a nearby lamp. Taking hold of the books of scripture from the nightstand, she
remembered how she had touched them harshly, and with evil intent, earlier that day. She
gathered them into her arms and held them tightly, bringing her chin down on the tops of them—
a show of reverence and appreciation for what they meant to her. Her normal routine at night was
to read one chapter, usually the next one in sequence. But on this night she took time to read
three. She then knelt again, and prayed a second time, to assure the Lord that she was very, very
sorry.<\/p>

 <\/p>

The day for her had been a rough one, akin to her standing at a rocky shoreline along the
eastern seaboard of the United States during a hurricane. Powerful winds, rain, and strong ocean
waves had battered Beth’s emotions with terrible fury. But now, the dark clouds of the storm had
rescinded and warm sun rays from heaven were bursting through into Beth’s soul. There was
hope again! One day they would all be together again.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth had rediscovered God, but Barbara was still searching. For her, peace was nowhere
to be found. She continued suffering bitterly day and night for almost a week, cold in her
relationship with the family, and even colder in her relationship with God. She could not pray
without becoming angry, so she stopped praying altogether.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Beth had packed Audrey’s toys into boxes and hidden them away in a basement storage
room. But this only served to anger Barbara more as she looked for them and couldn’t find them
easily. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Is Beth now the mother of the family, making decisions about Audrey’s things without
even asking me?<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

First Gar<\/i>y seeks to counsel me about God<\/i>,<\/i> and now Beth thinks she knows what’s best
for me. Why don’t they just leave me alone! <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Continuing her search downstairs, she finally discovered them—in boxes hidden
intentionally by Beth behind other boxes in the storage room. Kneeling down beside them, she
took some of the toys out to look at and hold in her hands. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey’s favorite doll! We bought that on her birthday when she turned four. <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

She imagined if Audrey was there right now, how she might hold the doll in her arms and
carry on a conversation with it in a play-like manner. She set the doll down and then browsed
further. There were game boards, blocks, a small table with play cups, plates, and plastic
silverware, a dollhouse, a play horsey, a collection of older dolls, and many other lesser-used
toys, some of which Beth had also played with when she was younger. Each toy had its own
special memory. She could see Audrey playing and enjoying time with them, and it brought joy
to her to remember. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Such wonderful times! <\/i>Oh, h<\/i>ow I miss her!<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

It was here that Barbara’s heart began to soften. The little toys were like the merry
singing voices of villagers down the mountain in Whoville, and like the Grinch, her heart now
grew bigger, becoming larger than ever before. This terribly painful experience had increased the
capacity of her heart to feel. High atop a bitterly cold mountain, she had heard the singing. <\/p>

 <\/p>

God had blessed her. She knew that now. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Audrey had been a wonderful blessing to the family, even if her time on earth had been
short. Already down on her hands and knees, Barbara made her first attempt to pray in quite
some time. The act of praying itself brought her peace. It felt natural to pray. <\/p>

 <\/p>

She addressed God.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Our Father in Heaven,<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

I’m so sorry for my anger towards <\/i>T<\/i>hee these last few days...<\/i> <\/i>I’ve been so bitter inside. <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

She started crying again.<\/p>

 <\/p>

This has been a terrible time for <\/i>me. I<\/i> haven’t been myself for weeks, not able to sleep
much as Audrey's condition worsened. <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

But those were the little things. I could have easily endured those things if that were all. <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

The real pain for me was the disappointment—I wanted a miracle more than anything! I
hoped and prayed with all my heart that<\/i>,<\/i> through the power of the priesthood, <\/i>T<\/i>hou wouldst
have healed my little girl. <\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

The last few words, “healed my little girl,” caused her great emotional pain, and she
almost stopped praying again. But she continued.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Blessing after blessing, I waited and watched for any improvement, still hoping. But when
nothing happened, and her condition became more serious, I felt hurt and became angry.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Her knees were awkwardly situated on the floor, so she worked towards ending her
prayer for the moment.<\/p>

 <\/p>

I’m so very, very sorry. I really am <\/i>grateful for all that I have. I have been blessed with a
wonderful family!<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

I don’t understand why all of this had to happen, but I’ll try to learn from this and work
hard to rebuild my faith in <\/i>T<\/i>hee.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, <\/i>a<\/i>men.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

It wasn’t a long prayer, but it was a good start. Feeling better, Barbara got to her feet and
started moving the boxes back to where Beth had placed them. <\/p>

 <\/p>

That evening at meal time, Barbara smiled at both Gary and Beth, apologizing for her
behavior of recent days, and announcing she would give the blessing on the food for dinner. The
tone of her voice was warm and mother-like again. Beth finally got the hug she had been waiting
for, and Gary as well. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The storm was over. It was time to get back to work and rebuild all the houses along the
shoreline that had been destroyed or damaged. There was much to rebuild, including figuring out
how to organize the family finances going forward. Gary had been forced in recent months to
drive back and forth to the hospital in Salt Lake City. He did this even on weekdays while still
trying to keep his performance strong at his job; for surely, the last thing they needed as a family
was for him to lose his job and benefits being away from work too long. Barbara, like Beth, had
rediscovered God, and she also had Gary and Beth by her side to help sustain her. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Families are eternal––she always knew that. It had just gotten pushed aside in her mind
for a little while, but now it was back.<\/p>

 <\/p>

The next morning, a great and important family event occurred immediately following
Barbara’s sincere and joyful repentance. By way of introduction to this event, reference will be
made again to the Bishop of D— with the following lines:<\/p>

A moment later he was in his garden, walking, meditating, contemplating, his heart and
soul wholly absorbed in those grand and mysterious things which God shows at night to the eyes
which remain open.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

Barbara that night had enjoyed a wonderful night's sleep, perhaps the most restful and
peaceful one she had had in many months. Yet, notwithstanding this fact, her eyes remained
wide open to the Lord all night long, having humbled herself and prepared herself for whatever
blessing He might have in store for her. As it turned out, she would receive a great one. She
awoke the next morning and immediately recalled a dream.<\/p>

 <\/p>

In this dream, she had found herself lying in her bed, sick, exhausted, feverish, overcome
by grief and pain. She heard drops of water close by like rain. Opening her eyes, she saw Audrey
standing over her. Rinsing a damp washcloth, Audrey squeezed it to trickle out the excess water,
and then placed it comfortably on her mother's forehead to combat the fever. Yet Audrey did this
task with a smile, and even with a giggle, which was her usual way in life, enjoying the fun that a
child might have with the tables turned and she now in the role of the nurse. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Pondering in amazement, and greatly comforted by this marvelous dream, Barbara’s
thoughts were interrupted and added upon by the voice of the Spirit, whispering to her “Audrey
is received unto me in glory.”<\/p>"}