Dream on Chapter 10: Refugees

As I rode up to the Library I met Spring and Courtnie coming out. Their bags were full of papers and books. They cheered, “Mama Heather!”

“Spring! You’re back from Taiwan!!! It’s so great to see you!” I hugged her hard. “So what’s the adventure of the day ladies?” I smiled, kissing Courtnie’s cheek.

We’re working on the Arts Festival Showcase. My group is going to do some of these monologues and skits” Spring indicated with her head towards her bag.

“And I was going through music for soloists and choirs to sing.” smiled Courtnie. Then she rolled her eyes and said, it’s too much! I’m going to have Ben play some of them and help me choose.”

“That’s a great idea, divide and conquer! I’m sorry I can’t stay and help. I have a meeting with the new kids from Serbia.”

“OOOOO!” they grinned. “We want to know all about THAT too!”

“Don’t worry, I will tell all when I know all” I laughed as I over dramatized the whole thing for their entertainment.

“By the way, “ I called over my shoulder as they walked on, “Autumn is in the barn. Show your ideas to her too!”

“We are heading there now!” They called out as they strode away.

I chuckled as I entered the building. Being in Zion was the happiest thing that had ever happened to me even in my wildest imagination. Clean, calm, logical, efficient, effective, kind, organized, creative, fun, free to create and do what was interesting to me! And BEST of all, my family was with me.

I went into the meeting room and saw the children I had rescued only a few days ago. They were dressed in beautiful clothes, with clean combed hair and clean bright faces. Strangely, I thought, the newborns were also present with their wet nurse care takers who smiled at me. The children smiled at me with a hopeful look on their faces that I did not understand.

“Hello darlings, what’s going on?”

“Are you Heather Cullen?” The oldest child asked. He looked to be about 11 years old.

“Yes I am, am I in trouble?” I asked grinning.

The boy smirked and rolled his eyes, “Hah, Hah….are you the one who did a lot of family history work for the people of Kulpin?”

“Yes I am. “ I said, more seriously. My love for the centuries worth of families in Kulpin made me feel in almost a sacred way towards them. I had come to feel that all of them were “My People”.

The boy looked satisfied and continued. “Some of our parents were residents of Kulpin in the early 1800s but they were not members of your family. Mihael, Andreas, Elisabetha, and Paul have been telling everyone about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Our parents believed them, but no one is doing our work. We children were resurrected just recently.

Even though I died at age 11 I qualified for the morning of the first resurrection because I was severely autistic.” He grinned. “I was a handful back then.

The spirits of our families lead us to the cyclone fence where you were picking up those other children from the Novi Sad ward. Our parents couldn’t go with you because they are stuck in spirit prison.”

“You mean you are resurrected beings?!” I asked incredulously.

“Well some of us are. Those five are our great great great nieces and nephews” they all smiled.

One of the nursing babies turned her head and crowed, smiling and flinging her arms around. “That’s my older sister!” said a little girl who looked to be about 4 years old. She died about 3 months after she was born so we both have the same name. I died when I was 4 years old. I was crushed by a runaway wagon.

I started to laugh. So some of you are bullet proof right now?

They looked at each other and shrugged. “I guess so, yes...”, “ Oh I didn’t think of that”, “Astonishing!”, “This is going to be so fun!”

“OK, I said “so what’s the plan? Do you remember what life was like in the spirit world? Do you have those memories?”

“YES!” the four exclaimed looking at each other. Can you tell me your parents names and birthdates? Or your own? We can find you in the records and your parents will be listed. Then we can upload the info to family search and print out the temple cards and get some people to do the work for you.

They were thrilled and clapped their hands with joy. “I really miss my mama. She was not in the same place in the spirit world as we were. You know, children that die before 8 years old or have special needs automatically go to paradise to await resurrection. It was very wonderful, but I really wanted to see my mother and father. They were good people.”

I nodded my head. “Don’t worry, love, it’s all going to be good.” Let’s go into the computer room. We headed in. OK, line up…one at a time.” I logged on to my account and clicked “add an unconnected person”.

On the second monitor I opened up the old records from the church in Kulpin. “OK, When were you born?”

“January 27, 1822”

“Name?”

“Maria Guisas”

“OK, how do you spell that?”

“I don’t know”

“Hold on, let me look you up. Here you are…are your parents Andreas and Anna?”

“YES that’s them!”

“OK, got you.” I typed, attaching the source, and put in “She told me herself” as one of the notes and grinned. This was really fun. “ Do you have siblings? Let’s add them now”

We added everything she knew then printed out temple cards for the baptism of her parents and siblings that had lived to be older than 8 years old. We also printed out sealing cards so they could be sealed for time and all eternity.

I handed them to her and said, “ Hold on to these! Go rest on that couch until we get everyone done.”

I typed and printed and typed and printed until my hands felt like they were going to start cramping. Can one of you get me a drink of water please? I asked. My water bottle is on my bike outside. One of the kids scampered to get it. We heard a crash. I stood up and looked outside. “What happened!”

The boy came trotting back in with a huge grin on his face. “I just tripped and fell down those stairs and it didn’t hurt at all and I didn’t skin my hands or knees up.” All the kids' jaws dropped. One little girl muttered to herself, “I am SO going to climb the tallest tree now”. Another child wistfully whispered, “I wish I was resurrected right now”

“OK kids! That’s the last one” I crowed, as I stood up and stretched and popped my neck…Let’s head over to the temple and find some people to do your work. We walked towards the city center. Seven beautiful temples reached for the heavens, glowing in the sunlight, golden spires sparkling.

“Grandpa Seable!” I shouted as I saw my father’s father sitting on the front steps of the North West Temple. He was tall and slim, young, and handsome and dressed in white from head to toe..

“Hey!” he called back. “I was told to come out and wait for you. You have names from our family’s town? “

“These children are from there. They want their parents’ work done so they can be released.”

“Have they been taught in the spirit world?” Grandpa asked the group.

“Yes! You and Mihael and Andreas taught them. They sent us to get their work done so they can be released”

Grandpa Seable gathered the children around him and took each of their cards and said, “Oh, yes! I recognize these names. You know, I was a very foolish, wicked, and prideful person when I was on the earth. I did not take advantage of the healing salvation that was right before my face!

I am so grateful for my son, Stephan who never gave up on me. He did my work after I died and 10 years later you, Heather, went to Serbia and found our people and started cranking out the names and temple work.” He chuckled.

“When Mihael and Andreas were freed they came to me and tried to convince me that the Atonement of Jesus Christ was for me too. I didn't believe it. I spent so many years in spirit prison thinking my sins were too big even for Jesus to heal. I saw the horrible impact my acts had done to destroy and impede my children and their children, and their family relationships and it was more than I could bear.

One day Mihael and Andreas came to me and showed me how my mother Susanna was blessing her siblings' children and influencing their lives and how through the Savior and her efforts things were improving in their generations.

She wanted to bless my children too. Oral was there with her. She had forgiven me and told me so and told me to get my act together and do something for our children by helping their children. Then my second wife, Melba, showed up and said, “Paul, you’ve wasted enough time, do what you have to do!”

Grandpa Paul continued, “I was so sick of feeling sick inside, so agonized that death did nothing but aggravate my sorrows and not make them go away. Talking to my father and mother and wives,and spending time with them made me feel like taking a chance on Christ. I prayed for forgiveness and accepted my baptismal covenants.

As Mihael and Andreas accompanied me and showed me how to use my priesthood powers to move through space and influence others I struggled. It was SO hard. Uncle Al’s dad and I visited little Debbie and tried to let her know how much we loved her and how she was going to be OK and was making a good business choice. She got the message and was able to be saved financially. I felt SO great! I could help! I could be a blessing to my family instead of a cursing. I felt hope for myself.

As I studied the gospel, applied its principles and hung out in the temple a lot I came to know my Savior personally. I could not hold back. I had to let others know that we did not have to stay in hell! The Savior had bridged the gap and opened the door! I began to tell everyone on my street. Some mocked and tried to beat me up. But I understood that kind of pride. I was not afraid. I continued to open my mouth and preach the healing, redeeming gospel of the atonement of Jesus Christ and His great plan of Happiness!”

Here Grandpa Paul began to cry. His shoulders shook with sobs. “I am forgiven, I am clean. I am free. I can do so much to help my Savior with his work. I am loved and needed. What more could I ask for?”

The children gathered around Grandpa Paul and hugged him and patted his arms, back, and legs crying out, “Oh brother Paul, it’s true! You’re going to be just fine, you have been redeemed. It’s over, you’re OK now.”

He gained his composure and smiled through his tears. He was no longer afraid to show such tender emotion. I smiled. The miracle of a changed heart was greater than moving a mountain or parting a sea.

Grandpa Paul took the cards of the children and turned around and entered the temple and handed them out to those of his crew that were on their temple shift at that time.

The children hugged each other excitedly and turned to me asking, “How long until we can get our parents?”

"I will go check with my brother. Meanwhile go back to your homes and have some dinner. There will be no new news until morning I’m sure." I said and breathed a sigh of exhaustion.

They smiled and ran off to their various temporary homes.