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Show Elder Lee reminded the gathering that fife is fleeting and today is indeed the day to perform one's labors. He also explained a verse of scripture which he said is often misinterpreted. "Those that die in me shall not taste of death" (D&C 42:46). He said that some would say because President Rich's illness was long and lingering he did indeed taste of death and thus did not receive the blessing of not tasting of death. Elder Lee then went on to explain, "But that is not what it means at all. It means that those who die in the Lord, as we all of us believe this fine young man did, what he shall see when he passes from this life will be so joyous to his soul as to give him a rejoicing that shall make death sweet; but to those who haven't lived in Christ, their death shall be bitter to them whether it come by slow processes or quick means—it doesn't make any difference, it shall be bitter. As the Prophet Joseph Smith said that the most agonizing thing that shall ever be told to a soul will be on resurrection morning to be told that because of his life he shall not be permitted to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, that he'll have to wait 'till a later hour."68 Elder Lee also spoke to those who might question why President Rich was not healed by priesthood power. He reconfirmed that any elder in the Church could testify of times when loved ones had been healed miraculously; then answered the question, "Why then was not President Rich healed?" "I have a witness by the spirit because of a sacred experience that I had with President and Sister Rich in the Church Office Building. We had the spirit tell us that he should live on the earth as long as life should be sweet to him—to live to finish his mission and he wouldn't be called from here until that mission was concluded. He lived to finish the mission. He had faith that he could be healed; there wasn't any doubt in the mind of Sister Rich; there wasn't any doubt in the minds of any of those who administered to him, that he couldn't be healed. Then why wasn't he healed? The Lord gives us the answer—because he was appointed unto death."69 In conclusion, he offered this beautiful, comforting advice: Now, Sister Rich, you have faith today and you have given us all courage. Look up and he won't be far away. Where is this spirit world? Brigham Young said in answer to his own question, The spirit world is right here.' If our eyes could be opened, we would be able to see the spirits of those who have passed on before, who can draw very near to us to give us comfort and to give us peace. We speak of dreams sometimes in this age of sophistication. We have almost done away with the possibility of dreams being for spiritual purposes. But the old prophets taught that during those times when our physical senses were asleep, our spiritual senses might be very keen and awake, and there might be hovering near us during the hours of our physical sleep one who has passed away, a husband, a wife, a son or a daughter, father, and mother, who might draw very close to us and weave into the fabric of our dreams something that would be for warning or for instruction, for comfort or for direction. You were bound to him by ties that were stronger than death, Sister Rich. You're his and he's yours, 179 |