Visions of a Daughter

I have friend Kevin who was raised in the church, but his life was turned upside down at age 11 when his parents died in a car crash.  He was raised by relatives who were members of the church, but the standards were not as consistent as they should have been.  The result is when Kevin grew up he had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ, he knew the LDS church had the divine truth, but it was hard to always follow the commandments.

He married a wonderful girl, and dedicated himself to staying active in the church.  Like so many faithful people he and his wife had a hard time conceiving children.  As the years passed it became hard to maintain the high church standards.   Finally Kevin realized he would need to choose - "choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the [veil], or the gods [that you grew up with], in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  (a slightly modified version of Joshua 1:8).  Kevin wanted to follow the Savior's path, but it required so much energy.

His wife finally became pregnant with a girl, and Kevin knew it was time to choose for certain one path or the other.  He finally knelt down, and asked God the same question Job heard his friends asking, "What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?" (Job 21:15).  Then he had a vision opened.

He saw his daughter who was soon to be born.  He saw her as a little child, a birthday, a party.  He saw a young woman righteously going to church.  He saw her graduate from high school.  He saw his daughter as a full grown beautiful woman going to the temple.  He saw his daughter reach across the alter to take a hand to be sealed for time and for all eternity.  His heart ached to be there, and he yearned to stand in that temple room with his daughter.

He decided then and there that he would fight any and all temptations to make sure he could be with his family for eternity.  It has not been an easy path to follow, but he has faithfully sought the Lord's help and stayed focused on the straight and narrow path.  He testifies of the Savior's words, "For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven" (3 Nephi 12:12)

When the day finally came that I reached across the altar and took his daughter's hand he looked at us with shining eyes and simply said, "That was it."