Thursday, June 11, 2009

the great and terrible

I just finished reading volume 1 of The Great and Terrible: The Brothers. It took me a bit to get into this book by Chris Stewart, but once I did, I found so many great comparisons to our every day life. It's written from the perspective of life in the pre-existance--our life with God before we came to earth. It follows a family preparing to come to earth and deals with their issues of nervous excitement, of choosing right and wrong.

My favorite part is near the end when Heavenly Father is preparing his spirit sons and daughters for their life on earth. He says this:

"I am sending you to earth at a very treacherous time. Once you are there, you will forget everything. And the things you will deal with will seem so important to you. Your everyday problems will seem incredibly large--your work and your school, your family and friends, what to wear, how you look. Are you fat? Are you strong? Are you pretty? Are you smart? Do you make enough money? Do other people like you? Why weren't you chosen for a game or group activity? Why isn't life always fair? Worries such as these may consume you and take all your time.

"You may obsess with disappointments; you may put all your focus on the pain. It will be easy to forget that life is always good--that whether you are here or on earth, you are meant to find joy.

"So on quiet nights in the summer, when you are still and peaceful, I want you to look up at the heavens, the moon and the stars, so your spirit can remember these things I have shown you today. And if you do, you will remember, somewhere deep in your soul, that you are a part of a heavenly family, a heavenly plan, something eternal and wonderful and incredibly large. You will remember that your family is up here cheering for you, that family is the only thing that matters, the only thing of any significance. And though your human language won't have words for the feelings I will place in your hearts, your spirit will remember and you will long to be with me again."


I thought this passage was so well written because it totally encompasses what earth like is like, and what our worries are while here in our mortal existance. I loved the reminder that if we can be still and peaceful, we can look up and try to remember that we are part of something large and wonderful, that we can feel more connected to our eternal family and try to keep trivial human matters in perspective.

I recommend you all pick up a copy of this book--I got mine at the library, and as I understand it there are several more in the series.

7 comments:

The Bluths said...

Sounds interesting.

leaner said...

That does sound interesting. I will have to recommend it to my mom!

On a side note... I knew you would put a New Moon ticker up. 164 days until I turn 32. Yup, that is not very long at all. Geesh.

Mark and Jessica said...

Sounds like a book I would enjoy - I'll look for a copy. Thanks!

AZ HS Spotlight said...

What a beautifully written passage! I think I'll have to read that book when I'm not pregnant, I'm a cry baby anyways but I'm super cry baby right now. I'm teary at my desk.

April said...

I've read all the books in "The Great and the Terrible" series. It gets even better! If you want to borrow them, I have all but #5 or 6. I lent it to my mom and never got it back. They are great!

Sher said...

that is a neat passage. I'll have to look into that book.

Lorie said...

THAT is why I couldn't find it! My husband checked out that book from the library and after two weeks he didn't finish it. I went to renew it, but someone had it reserved so I had to return it.

I went to reserve it for him so that he could finish it and I couldn't find it. But I was only looking for The Brothers. I think I need to add The Great and the Terribles.