“So you see, Ammon, a great number of the valiant, the warriors for God, will be saved for the last days, before Jehovah reigns on the earth, when the battle between good and evil is dark and undecided, when the righteous are sorely tried because of the good they will do, and the evil outnumber them and seem far more powerful.”
Ammon’s mind drifted to Elizabeth. “Beth is one of those righteous ones,” he said proudly. “She has already been told when she will enter mortality. And she has already made a promise, a sacred covenant with God.”
Michael smiled knowingly. “Yes, Ammon, the time and circumstances of our condition on earth are revealed to us in the Father’s time and in his own way. Some learn their mission early, for they must have time to prepare, while others might not be told until they are ready to go down to earth.
“And you’re right, Beth has been chosen and set apart for a specific task, an incredible challenge that will not be easy for her. But what she will do, if she’s successful, will impact many people in the last days. Indeed, it has potential to change the direction of an entire nation.”
Ammon paused and wondered as a light shiver ran down his spine. Michael watched him carefully, seemingly reading his mind. He beamed, a dazzling smile of certainty and great confidence. “Remember, my dear friend,” he said as Ammon stood in silence, “out of small acts of courage, the Father will accomplish great and terrible things. And the promises we make before we are sent to earth, the covenants we make with the Father here in the premortal world, will impact our actions in mortality in ways that will not be revealed.”
Ammon turned to Michael. “You have made the right choice. Beth has always been valiant. She has always been strong.”
“And so have you,” Michael answered. “You are humble, just like Moses, and that’s one thing that makes you so powerful. You understand the eternity that exists between yourself and the Father, but you also have the faith to see what you can become. And so you will be given a great responsibility. You will also make covenants with God.”
“I don’t need to be a hero. That’s not something I need. All I want is to go down and be worthy to come back again.”
“That may be all you want, but is that all God wants from you? Is that the only thing that matters, what you need to be satisfied?”
Ammon pressed his lips and stared at his hands. He would do anything, and surely Michael knew that was true.
Michael walked to the edge of the platform, then motioned to Ammon, and he followed to stand at his side. The sun was rising high, and a summer wind blew. Michael pointed to the city. “You said you didn’t have to be a hero,” he said. “That is an interesting word. Your world will have plenty of heroes, or at least that is what they will be called. But they will be amoral and selfish and so evil and foreign to your experience here that it’s impossible for me to describe. Fame, lust, and money will be all they desire. And they will not be heroes, not in the real sense of the word. They will be famous and wealthy, but their riches will die with them.
“But I want you to know, there will be real heroes there. In the time you will live, there will be heroes around. Simple men, honest men who work two jobs, go to school, raise a family, and serve our God. An older couple who have the courage to seek out the truth while enduring the scorn and ridicule of their children and friends. A young man, a special spirit, who will take on a body that is deformed–and yet you will never see him unhappy or without a smile on his face. A young mother who will care for a daughter while she suffers a painful death, and yet never doubt or lose faith that her Father loves them both.
“Yes, Ammon, in your world famous people may be hard to find. But you will be surrounded by heroes, you will meet them every day. They will be the simple people who struggle but never give up, those who strive to be happy despite the cares of the physical world, those who dream of the day when they will find the truth, those who search for understanding as to why they were born, why there is pain, or what it all means, and yet continue to endure, knowing in their soul, somewhere deep inside, that there has to be an answer.
“These are the heroes that our Father needs down on earth. And you will be a hero. We already know that.”
Ammon thought a long moment. There was so much he didn’t understand, so many things about earth-life that were not clear to him. But he didn’t question Michael. He was satisfied to listen and learn and remember what he said.
Michael looked him directly in the eye and concluded. “Because of the progress and decision you have made, because of the sacrifices you have endured, the talents you have developed, and the lessons you’ve mastered, you have been selected to be a leader among the children of men at a time when the fulness of the gospel will be on the earth. The plans were laid even before the Great Council was held, and you have been selected to be sent to earth at a very special time, a time when evil and hate will rage in the hearts of all men. It will be a fearful time, yes, but also a time of great promise. And you will have a mission, a specific service you will be asked to perform. You’ve got to start preparing now or you will not be ready.”
Ammon stared out over the valley, a faraway look on his face. He watched the swirling wind blow across the huge lake, cutting ripples in random patterns on the surface of the water. His mind, like the wind, seemed to whirl in confusion. A thousand questions rolled inside him. Where did he even start? “But there’s so much I don’t understand,” he started to say.
“It will come in good time. Be patient, and remember, it is all a part of the great plan.”
Ammon shook his head. “But if I could just . . . ”
“It will come, Ammon. Be patient. Have faith. And don’t let the things that you don’t know detract from those things that you do. Stay the course, keep your faith, and you will figure it out.”
Ammon pressed his lips, forcing restraint. The great angel turned away from the younger man and fell silent as he thought. Michael watched the busy city below, then shook his shoulders and said, “Time grows short for me now and I really must go. But there is one more thing that we have to discuss. And this is important. In fact, my young friend, it is the reason that I brought you here.”
Ammon straightened himself, becoming even more intent. Michael leaned toward him and said, “I’m very worried about your brother. I’m afraid he might fall.”
Ammon nodded sadly. “I have tried everything. But Samuel won’t even see me.”
“I’m not talking about Samuel. That’s not who I’m worried about.”
Ammon stared at him, confused, and Michael lowered his voice. “Do you remember your dream about the schoolyard?” he asked.
Ammon stepped back in surprise, then slowly nodded his head.
“Do you understand the dream?”
Ammon shook his head no.
“The man in the window was our Father. He is counting on us to help each other, for he can’t do it himself; he can’t intervene directly, even here in the premortal world. We have to learn to help each other and to trust others besides God. Even here, even now, the lessons of eternity must be taught, and Father is counting on us to help save his children, to lift each other up at the times when we fall. And remember, Ammon, most of the prayers people utter will be answered by what someone else does. That is true now, and will be even more true in the mortal world.”
Ammon thought back on the dream. It made so much sense to him now. “But there was this boy, a little child . . . ”
“Do you know who that was?”
“No! I never could see his face.”
Michael’s eyes softened as a look of grief crossed his face. “It was Luke. Oh my Luke–he is the one the Father is concerned about now. His heart is so good, but he is tender and flexible, like a young reed in the wind; he wants the right thing, but he is so vulnerable. And he needs you now, Ammon, even more than you know. And you may have only one chance to save him before it’s too late.”
Chapter Thirteen
Later that morning, after
the council and his conversation with Michael, Ammon found Luke and Elizabeth in a park near their home. The day was warm and pleasant, with a whiff of distant rain in the air. The common area was enormous, a huge quad of perfectly manicured grass and tall, swaying trees. A million flowers had been planted in beautiful gardens along the side of a pond and they were now in full bloom, for spring was wearing on and summer was near.
Elizabeth and Luke gathered around Ammon, anxious to hear everything. Beth was so excited, she could barely contain herself. Michael the Archangel! The Council of God! She had heard rumors already, and she wanted to know it all. She sat on a small marble bench in a simple white and blue dress. Luke remained standing, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other while Ammon sat on the grass, resting back on his hands. Elizabeth leaned forward and crossed her ankles. “What was Michael like?” she asked excitedly. “What did he say to you?”
“Tell of the council first,” Luke interrupted. “What did Father decide?”
Ammon told them of the decision arrived at in the council. Luke nodded solemnly, but didn’t say anything. Elizabeth gasped when he told her; just the thought, just the threat of being cast out took her breath away, and it was inconceivable to her that it had come to this. A shiver ran through her, and she tucked her arms to her chest. “What about Michael?” she then wondered. “Why did he send for you?”
Ammon told them of their conversation. But he did not tell them all. His voice remained firm and even, but as he glanced toward his younger brother, as he thought of Michael’s warning and the dream he had had, he fell silent a moment as the emotion rose in his chest.
He heard Michael’s voice. Luke. Oh my Luke–he is the one the Father is concerned about now.
Luke watched him, knowing that something was wrong. He knew his older brother as well as he knew himself; he could read his body language and the look in his eye. He could tell what he was thinking by the sound of his voice, reading his emotions by his inflection and tone. And something was wrong–there was no doubt in his mind. He watched him a moment, uneasiness building inside. “Did Michael say anything else?” he prodded gently.
Ammon glanced toward him, then looked away. Elizabeth and Luke waited patiently, then realized Ammon wasn’t going to say more.
“I’m a little surprised that Michael took so much time with you,” Luke stated. “He is so busy! Why did he have to talk to you about the need for valiant spirits and the mortal mission you’ll have? Why was it important to tell you that now?”
Turning to Luke, Michael’s voice rolled again in Ammon’s mind. Luke. Oh my Luke–he is the one the Father is concerned about now. He shook his head to clear it, then answered quietly, “At first, I was asking myself the same thing, Luke. But it makes sense to me now. He is very busy, yes; in fact, there were others he had sent for, other men, just like me. But what we talked about was important, so I’m not so surprised now.”
Elizabeth stared at Luke. Had he missed the whole point? “I’m not surprised at all,” she answered quickly. “I mean, this is what Michael does. This is how he fights for men’s souls. One-by-one. One-on-one. Convert and strengthen one person, then send him or her to bring others home. So no, it doesn’t surprise me he wanted to talk to Ammon. We too are important.”
Luke thought a moment. “You are right,” he conceded. “I should have seen that myself.”
The three young people fell silent, each of them lost in private thoughts. Luke watched his older brother, then asked, “Do you think there is anything we can do for Sam?”
Ammon brought his hands to his chin and closed his eyes. “Michael didn’t offer any suggestions for what we might do,” he replied.
“But we’ve got to do something, Ammon!” Luke said. “Sam loves you. He respects you. I am too young. You know he won’t listen to me. I would go and try to find him myself, but I can’t do this alone. I’m just the youngest brother. Sam won’t listen to me.”
“What can we do?” Ammon asked.
“I don’t know. . . . Talk to him. . . . See if you can make him see.”
“You’ve got to understand, Luke,” Ammon answered. “I’ve thought about this for days; I’ve thought of almost nothing else since the day he left. But I really don’t know. . . . It’s not like we can force him. We can’t make him come back.”
“Look,” Luke shot back, his voice edged with anger. “Sam isn’t stupid. He knows what he’s done. And he had good reasons for his decision. He isn’t evil or mean. He didn’t do what he’s done to hurt us, you know. He did what he thought was right, not what he knew to be wrong.”
Ammon pushed himself up and took a step toward Luke. His voice remained calm, though his face brushed in pain. “I didn’t say Samuel was evil. I’ve never thought that in my life. But he has to take responsibility for what he has done. And we both have to realize that we might run out of time. Father won’t allow this battle to wear on forever, and there will come a time when Sam might be found on the wrong side. And if that happens, it will be his choice. We can’t force him to come home.”
Luke stepped back and shook his head. “What will happen to him?” he cried, brushing his hands through his hair.
“I don’t know, Luke. I don’t know.”
The three fell silent again until Elizabeth spoke. “He could die,” she whispered sadly.
“This is not mortality,” Ammon shot back. “There is no death here.”
“There is spiritual death. Separation from God. That is the only death that matters, and that is possible now.”
Ammon started to answer, then cut himself short. Beth looked across the lawn as the wind caught her hair, feathering the dark strands behind her ears. Ammon rocked on his feet and stared at the grass. “Sam is in mortal danger; there is no doubt in my mind. He might lose the opportunity to take on a physical body. Many have gone after Lucifer and never come back.”
“Maybe if you talked to Master Balaam again?” Luke suggested.
“No. He will never help us. If you had seen Balaam and the glare in his eye–there is a physical change, he looks different somehow, angry and grim. His face is dark, his smile evil. He looks almost . . . distorted. It is hard for me to explain, but he looks almost . . . fallen is the only word I can use to describe it, but the battle scars are ugly when you are fighting for the wrong side. And he isn’t going to help us, I can assure you of that. And without Balaam’s help we won’t find Sam, at least not by ourselves.”
“So we just–what–give up, stay here all warm and happy and say that we tried?”
“We did try,” Ammon answered. “We did everything we could.”
“But he needs us, Ammon. I can feel that right here!” Luke thumped his chest. “He is praying we will find him. He is praying that we won’t give up.”
Ammon’s jaw clenched. “Sam doesn’t pray anymore, Luke. I’m sorry, but that is the truth. He’s had every opportunity, and he has turned us away. And if he refuses to see us, if he hides in the city and doesn’t want to be found, there’s just not much we can do . . . ”
“We could try to . . . ”
“To what, Luke? Try what? What do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know, Ammon. I’m too young. I’m not like you and Beth; I don’t hold the same promise. I’m not as smart, and I haven’t developed the same talents and abilities as you. But I do know that Samuel is praying that we won’t give up on him.”
Ammon looked away. Elizabeth stepped to Luke’s side and touched him on the arm. “It’s not fair to get angry at Ammon,” she said. “He didn’t cause Sam to leave.”
“I know that!” Luke cried in frustration and grief.
Ammon moved closer to Luke and put his arm around his shoulder. “We’ll think of something,” he offered. But it was clear in his voice that he didn’t have much hope.
Luke shuddered as he trembled with frustration and fear. “I have always loved Jehovah,” he said in a grieving voice. “He has been the perfect big brother. He is always there t
o talk to. He was always there to play games with us when we were small. Has he ever, even once, made us feel like he didn’t have time? And how many times have we turned to him to draw on his strength? If I have ever felt overwhelmed, he has always been there.
“You know that I love Jehovah. But I love Samuel too. And now I feel like I’m in a situation where I have to choose between them.
“And that’s not the only thing that I hate about this plan. I don’t want Jehovah to suffer. If Lucifer wants all the glory, I say let him pay the price. If he is willing to suffer, if he brings us back, I say good for him. That seems pretty fair. Is that such a bad idea?”
Ammon stepped back and Elizabeth held her breath. “You didn’t say that,” she whispered. “What’s the matter with you, Luke. Are you losing your senses?”
“Oh, so now I’m evil too! Crazy or evil, just like my brother Sam.”
Beth began shaking, fighting to keep her emotions inside. Ammon stepped away, a look of surprise on his face. “What’s the matter with you, Luke? What are you talking about?”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Luke was quick to reply. “If I don’t fall in line, then I must be evil too! If I have the courage to question, or look at the other side, then I must either be crazy, or wicked like Sam. I know how you think. I have seen this before.”
“Be quiet, Luke,” Ammon said in an angry voice. “You’re upset. Let it go. We can talk again later on.”
“Oh, sure. Just hush up, little brother, you’re not smart enough to talk. Well, let me tell you something, big brother. I’ve been talking to Master Balaam and he warned me you would react this way. I didn’t believe him at first. I thought that you would still care; but it’s obvious to me that you don’t care about Sam. You only care about yourself and your high-powered friends. Too busy to bother! I see what’s going on. Balaam told me this would happen, and now I see he was right.”
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