Luke smiled sheepishly, and I could tell he felt embarrassed. “Well, yeah. I know it’s pretty lame to ask on such short notice. I hope you don’t mind.”
Mind? Was he crazy? It was all I could do to keep from jumping up and doing a happy dance in the middle of the floor! Luke was looking at me anxiously, and I realized I hadn’t given him an answer.
“Of course I’ll go with you!” I tried to tone down the excitement I was feeling, but it wasn’t easy. When the look of relief crossed Luke’s face and he grinned, revealing his gorgeously white smile, my excitement bordered on hysteria.
“Cool! If it’s all right with you, we’ll be going in the same group you would have gone in with Jason.”
His words brought me up short, quickly killing the euphoria.
Jason. I felt a lump in my throat as realization dawned.
“So, Jason knows you’re taking me?”
Luke averted his eyes. “Yeah. He offered to let me buy his tickets for the dance and the . . . other stuff.” Noting the expression on my face, he hurried on. “Liza, we don’t have to go in the same group if it bothers you. I just thought we would since I know everyone in that group and since I didn’t have enough time to plan something else, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” He frowned, a worried look in his eyes.
“No, no, it’s totally fine!” I plastered a happy smile on my face. “It will be great.” At least Luke had had the decency to not say to my face what we both knew—that Jason had asked him to ask me to the dance. He was going to be my “pity date” to ease Jason’s conscience. I felt completely humiliated, but Luke was watching me closely so I maintained the cheerful façade.
After a few moments of silence, he stood up. “Well, I guess I better get going if I want to be able to find a tux. If it’s okay, I’ll pick you up at eight in the morning for the activity. Sorry it’s so early, but trust me, it will be worth it!”
I smiled and nodded. “What should I wear?”
“Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with a jacket should be fine. And you’ll want to wear a pair of comfortable shoes, not sandals. Oh! And don’t worry about eating breakfast beforehand.” Luke smiled mischievously, and I couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of excitement. Even if this was just a pity date, it was electrifying just being in his presence!
I walked him to the door, and we said a brief good-bye. I watched him start down the steps and was about to close the door when a thought came to me.
“Wait a second!” I blurted out. Luke stopped and turned toward me. I felt a bit childish, but I couldn’t resist asking the question that I knew would make him squirm. “Aren’t you supposed to be going out of town with your family this weekend?”
I’d expected him to look contrite, but Luke just grinned and shrugged. “Change of plans,” he said innocently before he turned and continued walking towards his Jeep.
Hmph! I really thought I’d had him there. For one horrifying moment, I wondered if his family had changed their vacation plans so Luke could escort poor, sad, little me to prom. I quickly pushed the thought away; it was too awful to contemplate.
I closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a sigh. Pity date or not, I was going to prom with Luke Matthews. There wasn’t a girl in school who wouldn’t give her front teeth for that chance, and on top of that, I’d be darned if I’d spent $175 on a dress to let it sit there collecting dust on a hanger!
• • •
That night Courtney helped me pick out what outfit I should wear for the day activity, and then she and I discussed how I should do my hair and makeup. We talked and giggled together, bonding in a way that we hadn’t done in a long time.
When I finally got into bed, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to sleep. It had been such an amazing day—and there was so much to look forward to tomorrow!
However, almost as soon as my head touched the pillow, I was swept away into a deep slumber.
Virtue
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”
—Proverbs 31:10
Chapter Twenty-Four
I’ll bet you’ve been wondering where I’ve been.”
I startled awake to find Grandma smiling down at me.
“Grandma!” I sat up in excitement. “You came back! I was worried you wouldn’t come again.”
She laughed. “I was waiting until the time was right. I’ve been watching you, Eliza, and I’m so pleased with the choices you’ve been making! I knew that these visits wouldn’t be wasted—not with someone as special as you are.”
“I’m so glad you’re here. I was beginning to feel a little lost without your help.”
“Nonsense, child! As you may have already guessed, this will be my last time visiting you for a while, perhaps forever—at least in this life. But you must know that you’ll always have guidance when you need it, and from a far more remarkable source than me—you’ve been given the gift of the Holy Ghost! As long as you’re worthy, the Spirit will always be there to guide and direct you throughout your life.
“Along with that precious gift, you also have your parents, teachers, and leaders to give you counsel. And don’t forget the many other resources available to you, including the scriptures and the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. Not to mention the Personal Progress program!”
I thought guiltily of my Personal Progress book that had been lying untouched for weeks on my dresser.
Grandma continued, “Once you understand the potential these things have to help you, you’ll realize that you never really needed my visits or the little objects I’ve given you.” She smiled at me warmly. “Be that as it may, I want you to know that I’ve cherished our time together, and I’ll continue to watch over you. There’ll always be a special place in my heart for my beautiful great-granddaughter.”
I felt moisture in my eyes as Grandma cleared her throat and sniffed.
“Now, enough of this blubbering! We have a very special person to visit.” Her eyes held that familiar twinkle. “Are you ready?”
I smiled back through my tears and nodded. “I can’t wait.”
“Good, then here we go!”
As had happened so many times before, the room began to fade around us. I tried to capture the strange sensation of it all, knowing that this would be the last time I would experience it. Colors and images seemed to whirl as my mind filled with anticipation. Who would this last woman be?
The ground became solid beneath my feet as the new scenery came into focus. We were standing on a gentle slope of a grassy hillside. I looked down the hill and saw a city constructed of small stone buildings.
If I squinted hard enough, I could make out the shapes of people moving about on the streets, but here on the hill everything was peaceful and quiet.
My attention turned to a small stand of olive trees near us, and that’s when I saw her. A young woman knelt beside the gnarled trunk of a tree, leaning against it for support. She wore a simple dress with a shawl draped over her dark hair, but nothing, not even the simplicity of her clothes, could have disguised the beauty that radiated from her.
She stared straight at Grandma and me, but her gaze moved past us, and I knew she was unaware of our presence. Words could scarcely begin to express the magnificent power that surrounded this woman. Her face held an expression of complete wonder, and there was a glorious light in her soft eyes. In fact, her entire face seemed infused with light, and it was this brightness that magnified her already lovely features and made her the most beautiful young woman I’d ever seen. She appeared to be the very embodiment of meekness, love, and purity. Watching her as she knelt beside the tree, I knew she was no ordinary person.
I looked at Grandma, desperate to know who this young woman was.
Grandma’s eyes filled with tears as she reverently whispered, “Eliza, this is Mary. The mother of the Son of God.”
I caught my breath. Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I humbly gazed at one of the most important wo
men ever to walk the Earth. I had seen several depictions of Mary in pictures and movies, but none of them had come close to accurately portraying the majesty of this woman. It was evident that we were close in age, but she had the grace and nobility of a queen.
I couldn’t keep from staring at her. Out of all the incredible women we’d visited, I was most in awe of Mary. The scene seemed too reverent to ruin with speech, so I stood silent and motionless beside Grandma. We watched Mary for several minutes, until she arose from her place and began walking quietly down the hill toward the city.
Grandma made no move to follow, so I watched as Mary’s figure grew smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing into the throngs of people moving about on the streets.
I dabbed the last remaining tears on my cheeks and noticed Grandma wiping her own eyes.
“What you witnessed here was very special,” Grandma said. “Mary had just received the message from the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Messiah, and she came here to ponder over all the things she’d heard.” Grandma shook her head in amazement. “Can you imagine what feelings must have been passing through her heart? What thoughts were in her mind? I can scarcely fathom how overwhelming it would be to have the knowledge that you were the one chosen to be the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, the very Savior of the world!”
Her words struck me, and chills ran over my arms as I thought of Mary’s calling.
Grandma was silent for a few moments, and then she turned to me. “So, my dear, I think you know the value that we’re here to learn about. With that in mind, tell me your impressions of Mary.”
I found it hard to put my feelings into words. “Oh, Grandma, I don’t know where to start! Mary was completely beautiful in every way. I had no idea that someone so incredible could be human; she seemed more like an angel. I . . . I can’t seem to express what it was like to be around her, you know?”
Grandma smiled. “Yes, I know what you mean. Mary was truly a unique woman, a ‘chosen vessel’ of the Lord. She possessed several amazing qualities, but the one we’re going to focus on is purity. Or in other words—virtue.
“Among other things, it was because of Mary’s exceptional purity that she was chosen to fulfill the calling she received. I’m sure you’ve heard the scripture that says a woman’s virtue is more precious than rubies?”
I nodded.
“After seeing Mary, do you see the truth in that scripture?”
“Yes! A ruby would be nothing in comparison to Mary’s beauty.” I paused in contemplation. “It was so much more than her outward appearance, though. Her radiance seemed to come from inside of her.”
Grandma beamed at me. “Exactly!” She took my hand and suddenly we were being transported again. I’d hardly had time to figure out what was happening when we were suddenly sitting on a bench in a very familiar place.
I gazed up at the spires of the Salt Lake Temple, trying to orient myself to this rapid change of scene. The temple grounds were covered in beautiful flowers, and somehow I knew we were back to the present day, but there was still something unusual about our setting. It was dusk, and a gorgeous sunset filled the sky—but Grandma and I were completely alone.
Even in the quietest of times, there were usually lots of people walking around Temple Square, but right now everything was completely still. I’d never been able to see the Salt Lake Temple in this type of setting; it was so peaceful!
Grandma sat beside me on the bench, and she spoke softly to maintain the serenity of the moment. “There’s not much I need to teach you about virtue. By now you’ve read the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, and you’ve had enough lessons in church to know what you need to do to stay morally clean and pure.”
I nodded, and she continued, “Keeping yourself personally pure is not an easy task in the world you live in today. The earth is teeming with sexual sin—it’s practically everywhere you look: on TV, in magazines, in music, on the Internet, with texting, and tragically, in the lives of millions of wayward souls.
“Satan has successfully turned society’s logic into accepting sexual sin as normal and even good. To put it simply, Eliza, the destruction of personal purity and virtue is Satan’s main goal. It’s where he puts all of his time and energy when tempting the youth.”
Grandma’s face was stern. “The adversary uses subtle and seemingly harmless temptations to deceive even the brightest Latter-day Saint youth. People sometimes send inappropriate pictures of themselves in text messages or post them on their Facebook pages, and far too often people text or e-mail words they would never dare say in person. Pornography, in all of its ugly forms, is never acceptable and always corrosive to the soul. Once these thoughts or images are put into the mind, it’s extremely hard to get them out. Young men are especially prone to these temptations, and I wish the young women of the Church could understand what a powerful influence for good they can be! By dressing modestly and holding steadfast to virtuous principles, they can help the young men honor their priesthood and even encourage them to work toward serving a mission.
“Tragically, there are young women who are intentionally provocative in their dress in order to catch a young man’s attention, and even some who might discourage a young man from serving a mission. Such a girl may claim that she loves her boyfriend too much to be without him for two years, but in reality her feelings are purely selfish. True love means wanting what is best for another person—no matter the cost.”
I pondered Grandma’s words as I gauged how strong my feelings were for Luke. Did I care for him enough to put his interests ahead of my own? It was silly to think about it when I wasn’t even in a relationship with him, but I couldn’t help myself.
Grandma’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Love and physical attraction are among the most powerful feelings given to us by Heavenly Father, and He expects us to use those feelings wisely as part of our test here on earth. If we ‘bridle our passions’ and follow the commandments the Lord has given us, we prove our love and devotion to Him. It’s not an easy thing, but it’s not supposed to be easy. Tests are meant to be challenging.
“Eliza, someday you’ll experience the joyful feeling of being in love, and that’s something very special. However, the more you date, the more you will realize how difficult it can be to stay morally clean—hold fast! Follow the guidelines you’ve been given, and don’t try to see how close to the edge you can get before slipping off. Satan knows you and he knows your weaknesses; don’t think that you can outsmart him. He’s been around a long time and is just waiting for the opportunity to lure you close enough to the ledge so that, before you know it, you’re falling.”
Grandma paused and looked me directly in the eyes. “The next thing I’m going to tell you is extremely important. You’ve had the privilege of seeing Mary, the mother of our beloved Savior. Jesus Christ overcame the world by taking upon Himself each and every one of our sins and weaknesses. Without His merciful atonement, we would all have been lost because all of us are subject to sin.”
Grandma’s eyes filled with tears as she stated resolutely, “Eliza, don’t ever feel that you are not worthy of repentance, no matter what may come. There is nothing you could do, no sin so great, that it cannot be overcome by Christ’s redeeming love. If you remember nothing else from my visits remember this: repentance is for everyone, and it is real.”
Grandma motioned for us to stand, and then she swept her hand toward the temple. “Make this your goal, Eliza! There is no blessing sweeter than being married and sealed in the House of the Lord. The Lord loves you more than you can comprehend, and He wants you to be happy. You and those born to your generation are part of the great ‘youth of the noble birthright.’ You were prepared to come at this time to the Earth, and you are special! Never underestimate your potential, for with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible.”
She smiled. “Remember the examples of the women we’ve visited. Hold fast to the values of faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowle
dge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity, and virtue. In the end, you will see that it was all worth it!”
Tears were streaming down my face as I gazed at the glorious beauty of the temple. Its brilliant walls glistened with the last rays of the setting sun, and right then and there I made a commitment that this was my goal—no matter what.
Grandma’s words had struck me powerfully, and I sensed that she would soon be leaving. More tears flowed as I tried to memorize the sight of her; I never wanted to forget her face.
“I love you, Eliza, my precious, precious great-granddaughter,” Grandma whispered.
“I love you too, Grandma. I’m going to miss you so much!” Before my last words were spoken, everything suddenly went dark.
Just as my mind was surrendering to the inevitable deep slumber, I heard a faint echo of Grandma’s voice. “No need to miss me, I’ll always be close by.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
I was awake before my alarm. Normally, after one of my special dreams with Grandma, I slept so soundly that a herd of elephants couldn’t wake me, but this morning was different. I awoke recalling all of Grandma’s words with perfect clarity, and with sadness, because I knew that I would never receive another visit from her.
I felt a twinge of panic when I realized that she’d forgotten to show me what the final value token was, but then I remembered she’d said that the objects weren’t really necessary. I didn’t need to have something tangible to hold to know what I was supposed to do.
Still, it would have been nice to finish off my collection, I thought regretfully.
I reached over and opened the music box on my nightstand, listening to the melody that I now knew by heart. After telling Mom how much I admired Grandma’s music box, she had agreed to let me keep it, and I’d put all of the value tokens inside.
Sighing, I lay back on my pillows and wondered what our activity was going to be today. I wanted to be excited about hanging out with Luke, but the real reason for his taking me buzzed around me like a pesky wasp. I was “pity-date girl,” and everyone in our group would know it. Why else would someone like Luke ask out someone like me?
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