Nora looked directly into Rachel’s eyes again and continued, “A long time ago, when Adam and Eve were in the garden, they partook of forbidden fruit, which brought about mortality, introducing death into the world. In response to Adam and Eve’s commitment to live His commandments, God promised them that a Savior would be provided who would make it possible for them and all humanity to be resurrected and live forever, thereby conquering the death that Adam introduced by his transgression. That Savior was of course Jesus Christ, whose work was called the Atonement, which took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the Cross, and in the tomb. This same Savior through his Atonement could now offer immortality for everyone. He also ransomed liberty and freedom from the consequences of everyone’s sins if they would repent and keep his commandments. He promised that Adam and Eve and their posterity, which includes you and me, would have an opportunity through our repenting and faithfulness to inherit what is called Eternal life. This is different from being immortal. The Lord describes this as the greatest of all the gifts of God; which is to live forever, in a glorified state, with the Father and the Son. This is the Celestial Kingdom that Paul talked about. This is different from immortality which is merely living forever, but not in the presence of the Father and Jesus in different kingdoms. Now if there are more than one kingdom, then it seems to reason that there are specific requirements that define their admittance.
Because of our Savior’s magnificent act of love and mercy, all mankind will eventually be resurrected and live forever. Also each individual will have their opportunity to inherit Eternal Life, which is living in God’s presence in the Celestial or Highest Kingdom. Access to this inheritance comes from making and being faithful to sacred covenants and by doing all of the necessary ordinances performed by those who have the God’s authority. Covenants are promises made between man and God. These necessary covenants are the same today as they were in ancient times.”
Nora studied Rachel’s face in the dim light. “I know that’s a lot to think about, but what it means to you and me is that my Francillo, your sweet mother and everyone else will be resurrected, the just and the unjust and that we can all be together in the Celestial Kingdom where there will be no more sorrow or tears if we are just. Do you understand what I just said?” Nora asked.
“I think so,” Rachel answered.
Nora paused and then continued in a soft deliberate voice, “Rachel what I have just told you is the most important thing any of us here on earth can understand. That is why Christmas is important in the plan of salvation as it brought forth our Savior into this world that he might accomplish his great work of the Atonement. It is no wonder that all of the ancient prophets prophesied of his coming and the angels of heaven heralded his birth.” Nora reached over gently placed her hands around Rachel’s hands and asked, “Are you still with me?”
Rachel nodded her head. “I think so,” she said softly.
“The Star of Bethlehem, which shone in the heavens above for the worthy to see, testified that the long prophesied Messiah was born and had come to fulfill his mission on earth as our Savior… to save us all from death and to pay ransom for the sins of all who would repent and keep his commandments. That is why the Bible reads that all will be judged according to their works. We must change our ways or repent to become perfect as Jesus commanded us to be, and the only way this can happen is through repenting and allowing his Atonement to have power over us. This is the mercy of God, to be forgiven of our sins to become perfect as we are commanded. To believe in him means we repent by changing our ways. Saying we believe and not changing our ways does not allow the Atonement to work, for when we truly believe we show that we love him by keeping his commandments.”
Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
“He is the Life because he gives resurrection to everyone and he is the way because through his gospel of repentance and by being obedient to his commandments, we show we love him, and allow ourselves access to his mercy and grace to gain exaltation and live our eternal lives with Him and the Father in the Celestial Kingdom rather than in a lesser kingdom.” Nora paused, looking into Rachel’s eyes to see if she understood. Rachel’s countenance was beaming with enlightenment.
“You do understand don’t you?” Nora nodded her head in unison with Rachel. “The Spirit is giving me witness of your understanding.” Nora added.
Rachel again nodded her head.
Chapter 9
Nora then took the apple half showing the star. “The apple is symbolic of the fruit in the garden which brought death to all men, and the star in the apple is symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem, which held the promise of life after death to all men… forever and witnessed to the wise men that this was the Christ child and the embodiment of that promise. He was the prophesied Messiah, born to fulfill his mission on earth as our Savior—to save us all from death and to pay ransom for the sins of all those who would repent and thereby accept his Atonement. Do you remember the story of that first Christmas? The book of Luke says that the shepherds not only rejoiced but angels appeared and heavenly voices were heard, praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Nora paused and looked into Rachel’s eyes again. Rachel was listening raptly and nodding her head in agreement.
What was this strange feeling? Rachel thought as her heart went out to Nora. Was this the affirmation she had been looking for? She choked back a sob.
“Now you can see why Christmas is so special.” Nora said with a smile as she pressed her lips together.
Rachel again nodded and remarked, “I guess that I only wanted God to heal my mother with a miracle and that I really didn’t try very hard to understand what my mother was trying to teach me. Then when she passed on, everything became confusing and jumbled. All I wanted was my mom back to stop my heartache and fill the void. I knew she talked about Eternal Life, but that was way into the future. I have never understood it to be as simple as you just explained it.” Pausing with an inquisitive look on her face she asked, “Does this mean that because there are different kingdoms to which we can go after we are resurrected, that we might not be together?”
“Yes,” Nora answered, “There are three kingdoms of glory, The Sun or Celestial, the Moon or Terrestial, and the Stars or Telestial according to Paul. The “Highest Heaven, or Third Heaven,” as Paul calls it, is the Celestial Kingdom where perfected people can live with their families in the presence of God and his son our Savior. This is where we want to be forever. Your mother tried to impress upon you the grave importance of Eternal Life as life in the Celestial Kingdom is called, so that you would seek it out and gain the knowledge of making the necessary covenants allowing you to be together forever. Now remember no one is perfect, but through repentance and the ransom paid for our sins we may become perfect just as Jesus commanded us in Matthew to be perfect. He would not command us to do something that was impossible now, would he? There would not be warnings by the apostles of losing one’s reward or the command to endure to the end if there were not eternal judgments associated with imperfect living. The way to perfection is through the Atonement by repenting thus keeping all of the commandments when we sin.”
“I had never known there was a difference between living forever in one of the lesser kingdoms and Eternal Life which is living in the Celestial Kingdom in the presence of God. So when my mother talked about Eternal Life with Heavenly Father and Jesus it has to be the Celestial Kingdom that you mentioned” Rachel declared.
Nora nodded her head in agreement, “That is where God is and where He is our Father and we were his spirit children as noted in Hebrews. We wanted to become like him in every way, so we came to earth to go through a probationary state to prove ourselves. We, here on earth are given opportunities to act like Gods, knowing good and evil and having children of our own. We can choose to be resurrected unto good or
evil. If we love God by keeping his commandments we can return to him and we are promised to be heirs of all he has which is also to become like him. If we make mistakes here, we can repent and our sins can be forgiven. The way is through Christ as he stated” she said in a quiet yet firm voice. “In order to progress from our first estate where we lived with God before this earth life, we needed to follow Christ’s perfect example of coming to earth to receive a body and then after we die we will receive a resurrected body. All are resurrected, the just and the unjust. What we want is to be resurrected just and receive a glorified body to Eternal Life the same as Christ received which is a glorified perfect body. We too can receive the same.”
Nora paused and looked toward heaven with her lips pressed into a smile then spoke, “Earlier I told you that you brought a glorious message to me when you gave me the apples. Let me explain. For the past twenty years; each Christmas day my Francillo would bring out an apple. I would cut it just the same way I cut this apple. Then we would each take our half of the apple showing the star of promise. We would then pray and thank God for his son, our Savior being born on Christmas day and we would ask for confirmation that the gospel plan really is true. We wanted so much to be together forever and believe in the plan of salvation as described in the scriptures and that we could, after death truly live forever together as a family with each other and our children. After our prayer each Christmas morning we would renew our promise to each other that whosoever of us might go first from this world would send a message that it was really true. So when you brought those apples this Christmas day the spirit came so strongly that you were the one bearing that glorious promised message. I just couldn’t control myself. I never expected the message to be brought by a living angel, and where I used to have faith, I now know without a shadow of doubt that the meaning and purpose of Christmas is true!”
When Rachel heard this warm shivers ran up her spine and she felt that same type of radiating warmth flow from her heart through her very being that she had felt the night before only more intense inasmuch that she was over-come and could not hold back the tears that immediately flooded her eyes. She was so overwhelmed that she felt weak and couldn’t speak.
Nora noticed her tears and walked over to where Rachel was sitting and put her arms around her to comfort and support her.
After some time Rachel acknowledged to Nora, “Yes, I also feel it is true, I can’t explain it, but all of a sudden I just know. All day yesterday and especially last night, I have been feeling my mother’s presence helping me cope with the rough times- just as I can feel her now.”
“Rachel, even though you feel the presence of your mother, the warm feeling you feel is the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the truth. What I have told you is true,” It is by the Holy Ghost that you know it is true! Nora affirmed. “Because of Jesus Christ, your mother’s spirit is alive and both of you will be resurrected and can be together forever. You can be with her again, I promise. Your mother is not gone but lives through the veil where she still loves you and wants you to understand the plan and what you have to do here on earth. That is why you can feel her.” Nora spoke softly.
Then it came to Rachel. Now she knew why her mother had said with such conviction, “Christmas is a good time to go through the veil.” Rachel burst into tears and got out of her chair. She stood in front of Nora and fell into her arms, crying shamelessly as feelings of joy and gratitude flooded her heart.
“It makes me full of joy beyond anything I have ever felt,” Rachel paused as she felt all of the frustration she had held towards God melt away like frost in the morning sun and spoke with quivering lips, “I too know it is true. I now know why it took so long for me to understand. I wasn’t ready and didn’t have enough information and experience to grasp it until now. I just couldn’t see it because of my hurt and frustration.” Now I understand it better and feel with my whole heart it is true.
Nora nodded her head, “It is the same feeling with me, a feeling that you know and you know that God knows you know.”
Rachel uttered with a sobbing voice “I will never forget this Christmas and the understanding it has brought to me, to finally know the true meaning of Christmas! Thank you for the best Christmas I have ever had.” Rachel gave Nora another big hug.
Nora responded, “I don’t think I can ever forget this Christmas either because I received confirmation from my Francillo when you brought me apples this Christmas day, it is truly miraculous. It seems that if we have hope, Christmas can work miracles on all of us.”
It was then that Rachel noticed a light in the kitchen of her house.
“My dad might be home. I see the kitchen light on,” She blurted.
“Well you better go see,” Nora added.
“This afternoon you’re welcome to come over for Christmas dinner,” Rachel added.
“ Thank you, I think I will, and if it is OK I’ll come over a little early to help with the preparation?” Nora graciously responded.
“Of course,” Rachel replied.
“ And I’ll bring over a pie made with these special apples for dessert. I guess you know now why apple pies are so special to me?” Nora questioned.
Rachel smiled, “I think from now on they will also be special to me for the same reason” she exclaimed as she smiled and winked.
Chapter 10
Rachel opened the door and turned with a loving glance and said “I love you Nora, you are my best friend.” She closed the door and jumped into in the snow without a worry. She now knew and felt that nothing in this world was more important than knowing that the plan is true just as her mother had told her and that now, the true meaning of Christmas was forever in her heart. She could finally understand why Christmas was a good time for her mother to pass on. She was allowed to enter heaven in the presence of her Savior, when all those on earth were commemorating his coming to fulfill the plan, she was enjoying the goodness of that fulfillment.
As she hurried down the lane and through the field she felt an exhilarated feeling. She paused just before the porch step and turned around as she couldn’t help notice how beautiful the pure white snow was shimmering like thousands of little diamond-like sparkles from the iridescent rays of sunlight filtering through the semitransparent clouds. Nearly falling, as she was still in a mesmerized trans and trying to take a hurried step up the porch she caught herself on one of the pillars, and stamped her feet to knock away the snow. She opened the back door and noticed her dad arranging the presents under the tree. Seeing him home ignited a burst of excitement. She didn’t care now if she woke up Ben, so with no inhibition she ran to her dad and embraced him with a big squeeze gleefully exclaiming, “Daddy, I am so glad you made it home, this is the most miraculous Christmas; I love you.”
“Well darling, I am glad to be home too! It was quite an ordeal. However, you haven’t even seen your presents yet,” her dad exclaimed.
Rachel got a little serious and responded, “The miracle of Christmas isn’t about gifts you can hold; it is about the gift of love that God gave us in his son making the plan available to us and knowing that it is true!”
Rachel’s dad paused and spun her around squeezing her in his famous bear hug. He then gently pushed her back a little so he could gaze into her beautiful hazel eyes now filled with tears. It was then being surprised at her precocious insight, that he saw Rachel in a whole different perspective.
“Rachel is everything all right?” He questioned, “I mean you seem a little different from yesterday.”
She just hugged him again and tearfully said, “Everything is wonderful. You’re home. And it’s Christmas morning. Everything is great!”
Pondering her statement about the miracle of Christmas her dad responded, “Yes, I reckon that truly is the miracle of Christmas. You’ll have to tell me more about it,” he said very softly nodding his head.
Rachel noticed a little glimmer in his eyes as he gave her one more squeeze.
Just then Ben wandered into the kitchen yawning and rubbing his eyes. “What is all the noise about?” he asked.
“Merry Christmas” Rachel and her dad both exclaimed at the same time.
Ben stumbled over to hug his dad, not being fully awake. His dad picked him up and threw him into the air.
“WHOA!” Ben hollered. “When did you get home?”
“Just barely walked in,” his dad answered.
“Where ya been?” Ben queried.
“Well, it all started last night when the storm hit and the commuter train was delayed for hours on account of the ice on the tracks and the power being out at the depot. So by the time I made it to the commuter station it was past midnight. With bald tires and deep snow on the road the old Ford couldn’t get any traction. So I walked into the village and no one was to be found. Being cold I looked for anyplace open that would be warm. The only place I could find was the motel lobby. So, I stayed there most of the night until early in the morning when I noticed Tom driving up to the garage with his tow truck. I went over and explained my dilemma and he offered to pull me home as it was on his way home as well. So we chained up the Ford and here I am after a cold ride being towed behind Tom’s truck.”
While Ben asked questions about his dad’s all night episode, Rachel began preparing the traditional Christmas breakfast. She spread butter over the whole bottom of the pan that had been warming and then poured in some batter she had just mixed-up. As soon as the batter hit the melted butter it made a sizzle catching Ben’s attention and he became excited as he walked over to the stove to inspect the progress. He knew what she was making, because every Christmas morning it was the same, Swedish pancakes. They had become his favorite for breakfast. Not only because they tasted so good, but it also meant that it was Christmas morning.
“We have real maple syrup from Vermont to boot” Rachel blurted out.
Christmas Miracle Page 4