Invaluable

by Holly J. Wood

  “Hello, sweetheart! I must say I thought you were never going to wake up! Ever since I was given permission to pay you a visit, I’ve been beside myself with excitement.” She gazed at me affectionately. “My goodness, what a pretty girl you are! I couldn’t be any prouder than to have you for my namesake.” Then in a confidential whisper she added, “You know, your mother always was my favorite grandchild.” She winked at me, and I realized that my mouth was still open and I forced myself to close it.

  This had to be a dream, but I couldn’t believe how real it felt. Great-grandma was still smiling at me, and I started to feel a bit self-conscious. It seemed to be my turn to say something, so I did my best to smile as I stammered, “I—it’s nice to meet you, Great-grandma. Mom’s told me lots about you . . . uh . . .” I debated whether or not it was polite to ask, but she seemed to read my thoughts and chuckled.

  “You want to know what I’m doing here in your bedroom.” Grandma grinned as I nodded. “Of course, of course! No need to waste time with my ramblings.” She sat upright and assumed a serious expression as she looked me straight in the eye. “Eliza, you are a special soul. You’re one of Heavenly Father’s choice daughters, and I’ve had the privilege of watching you progress through your mortal journey thus far. You’ve made many wonderful choices in your life, and I’m very proud of you.”

  I blushed and looked down at my bedspread. I wasn’t used to so much praise, but it still felt good to hear it, even if it was just in a dream.

  “However,” she continued, “I’ve noticed you’re coming to a crossroads of sorts, and I’m concerned. You have a good grasp of right and wrong, and you’ve certainly been taught well, but I think that you’re still struggling to see the big picture.”

  I looked at Grandma in confusion, and with a twinkle in her eye she said, “The easiest way to explain what I mean is to show you. Are you ready for an adventure?”

  I raised an eyebrow and looked down at my pajamas, then up into her excited face. She chuckled. “No need to worry about what you’re wearing. Not where we’re going, anyway.”

  I began to ask where exactly that was when something weird started happening. The walls of my room began fading away and for a moment everything was dark.

  “Grandma, what’s going on?” I asked in alarm.

  “Don’t worry. We’re perfectly fine,” she reassured me.

  Although I heard her voice, I couldn’t see her, and I felt strangely disoriented. The darkness was so complete that I couldn’t even tell if my eyes were open, which bothered me, so I squeezed them shut.

  “We’re here. You can open your eyes now,” Grandma said cheerfully.

  I opened my eyes to make sure I hadn’t lost her in a pit of blackness, and to my surprise, I saw that we were standing on a treelined dirt road that seemed to stretch on for miles. The sun was high in the sky, casting dappled shadows along the ground. Birds were chirping merrily from the trees, and I could hear a stream gurgling somewhere close by. I took a deep breath and felt exhilarated by the fresh, clean scent of everything. I circled around once, taking it all in and exclaimed, “Wow, this is beautiful! Where are we?”

  “We’ll get to that in a minute. I want to talk to you first.” Grandma began walking down the road, and I followed beside her. She took a deep breath and asked, “Eliza, did you listen to your mother’s lesson today?”

  I was caught off guard by her question, and I scrambled to think back to church and what Mom had been talking about. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I shrugged. “Well, not really. My mind was sort of wandering and, um, I guess I wasn’t really paying attention,” I admitted.

  Grandma gave me a half smile and nodded, as if I’d only confirmed something that she already knew.

  “Your mother did an excellent job with that lesson, and there was a very important message in what she said. Allow me to review it for you.” She gestured to a large boulder by the road, and we walked over and sat down. Grandma got that serious look on her face again. “Your mom talked primarily about the Young Women values and how important it is to apply them in your life. They were given to the Young Women leaders by inspiration as a standard to help guide you. I know at your age these things sometimes sound boring or unimportant. You have so many exciting things happening from day to day that it can seem like drudgery to think about subjects like this. But, Eliza, it is crucial.” Her voice was quiet, but piercing, and for a moment even the birds seemed to be silent. “You must understand that you are living in a battle zone, and the fight for your soul is as real as the rock you’re sitting on.”

  I felt the cold, hard surface of the stone beneath me and thought once again that I’d never had a dream this realistic.

  “Distraction and subtlety are powerful tools the adversary uses on everyone, but especially on teenagers. Your lives are so filled with technology that sometimes I wonder how you can hear yourselves think! That’s why I wanted to bring you to a place like this—away from all the noise and hubbub. This is a place where you can get in touch with your true spirit and, perhaps more important, with the Spirit. The Holy Ghost wants so much to be a part of your life, but he cannot communicate when there’s a constant barrage of music and TV, or a cell phone demanding your attention.”

  I nodded. There was a lot of truth in what she said, but part of me bristled. “But, Grandma, not all technology is bad, is it? I mean, my mom is always using the Internet to help find material for her lessons. And let’s not forget general conference. How would we be able to hear it if we didn’t have the radio or TV?”

  Grandma smiled a bit mischievously, as if she enjoyed my sudden defensiveness. “Gracious, no! Technology is a good thing. It also came by inspiration and enlightenment. However, like so many other things, it can be abused, and Satan knows just how to take something good and turn it into something evil. If all of God’s children had perfect self-control and could discipline themselves to use these tools properly and not abuse them, it wouldn’t be a problem. Unfortunately, too many adults, teenagers, and even children can’t seem to turn off the television or pull themselves away from the Internet. And don’t get me started on video games! Technology can be powerfully addicting, and it’s a great challenge your generation faces.” She paused and appraised me for a moment. “Let me ask you something. How many kids your age do you know who don’t own a cell phone?”

  I shifted uncomfortably as I struggled to think of someone. After a few seconds, I was still drawing a blank, so I tried to buy some time.

  “Uh, my age specifically?”

  “Well, even around your age if that makes it easier.”

  Still nothing. And it was obvious that Grandma could see right through my fidgeting.

  “Well, okay, I can’t think of anyone at the moment—but I’ve heard of some kids whose parents won’t allow them to have one.”

  “Is there ever a time in school, other than during class, when you can look around and not see someone texting or on the phone?” Grandma’s questions were beginning to feel like an interrogation.

  I twisted the hem of my pajama shirt uncomfortably. “So, you brought me here to tell me that cell phones are evil?”

  Grandma sighed. “No, but the point is that they too often become a distraction that seems perfectly innocent, while it’s subtly addicting. For example, how do you feel when you accidentally forget to bring your phone with you somewhere?”

  I grinned sheepishly. “I feel naked and go nuts until I get it back again.”

  She nodded. “Anything that has that kind of effect on a person usually signifies a type of addiction.” Noticing my discomfort, she smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry if this sounds like an attack. I didn’t sugarcoat it very well, but the fact is that this is part of the message I was sent to give you. I’m sure you’ve heard most of it before from adults who grew up in a much less technologically driven world, but there’s a lot of truth in what they preach. People are losing essential bonding skills and family time. The art of face-to-face commu
nication is declining, as well as a host of other problems we don’t need to go into right now.”

  She looked at me earnestly. “Eliza, I only want to arm you with this knowledge. It’s up to you how you choose to use it. All I ask is that you think about controlling the technology you use and not letting it control you. Time is a precious gift that should not be wasted. Once it’s gone, it’s gone—whether you spend it watching TV or actually living life.”

  I paused as her words sank in. The guilt of how much time I’d wasted hit me with the force of a steam shovel. I’d watched countless hours of TV in my life. In fact, I’d sometimes imagined that after I died and my life was replayed before my eyes, it would be like watching one, long show. That thought had seemed funny to me before, but not now.

  “Well,” Grandma said, her face brightening. “Enough on that subject! We’re about to witness something truly special.”

  I looked around, but nothing about our surroundings had changed. “What’s going to happen? Where are we?” I tried to keep the impatience out of my tone but the suspense was starting to get to me. It was unnerving to be in complete ignorance, and it annoyed me that Grandma knew but wasn’t telling.

  Grandma sensed my mood and scowled at me. “All right, spoilsport, I’ll tell you where we are, but nothing else. You’ll have to guess the rest.” I smiled and raised my eyebrows expectantly as I waited for her to continue. “We are currently on a road in Harmony, Pennsylvania.”

  I jumped up. “What? Pennsylvania! You’ve got to be kidding! This is insane! What in the world are we doing here? Mom and Dad are gonna flip. Do they have any idea where I’ve gone or what’s happened to me? We’ve got to get back right this min—”

  “Slow down, Eliza, everything’s fine. This is a dream, remember? You’ll wake up back in your own bed, and everything will be exactly like it was before you fell asleep.”

  My breathing slowed and I sat down next to Grandma. Of course, how had I forgotten this was all a dream? This whole thing was crazy. I wondered if I would remember any of it when I woke up.

  Grandma patted my shoulder and continued talking as if my outburst had never happened. “So, does the name ring a bell at all?”

  “The name?”

  “Harmony, Pennsylvania. Does that sound familiar?”

  I scrunched up my eyebrows in thought. “It has something to do with Church history, right?”

  Grandma smiled and her eyes twinkled. “Yes, you might say that.”

  Suddenly, I heard a faint noise coming from down the road: the unmistakable clip-clop, clip-clop of a horse’s hooves. I strained my eyes toward the direction of the sound and could make out the outline of a carriage in the distance. A man and woman were sitting in the carriage, and as it drew nearer, I could see that they were in costume.

  “Cool! Is this one of those places where they do reenactments?” I asked Grandma in a whisper, not wanting to be overheard by the strangers. Suddenly I remembered I was wearing my pajamas, and even though I was dreaming, I was still embarrassed.

  In a normal voice Grandma answered, “No, what you are witnessing is real. We’ve taken a little trip into the past. You can do that in dreams, you know. And stop worrying about what you look like! We are here only as observers; these people can neither see nor hear us.”

  The carriage was drawing steadily closer, and to my amazement, I realized that the people inside truly didn’t seem to notice us. The man had his arm around the woman, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Her shiny brown hair was curled in tight ringlets and styled in a fashion that I knew I’d seen in a picture before. The couple was talking softly, and just by watching them a few moments, it was easy to see that they were in love. The man wore a hat and had his head tilted toward hers. He turned for a moment, and when I saw his face, I gasped.

  “Grandma, I know who that is! Oh my goodness! Is this for real? Is that really who I think it is?”

  Grandma laughed and clapped her hands, delighted by my reaction. “Oh, Eliza, I can’t tell you how fun it was to see your face just then! Yes, that is indeed Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration. And as I’m sure you’ve guessed, that’s Emma sitting beside him.”

  Awe settled over me. I was actually seeing the Prophet Joseph Smith, right before my eyes. I jumped up in excitement as their carriage passed by. “Oh, Grandma, can’t we talk to them, just for a minute? There are so many things I’d like to ask; so much I’d love to hear!”

  She looked at me sympathetically. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but as I told you before, we’re here only to observe.”

  My shoulders slumped, but I kept my eyes glued to the carriage, which Joseph had pulled over to the side of the road a few paces away. He stepped down and tied the reins securely to a nearby tree. I noticed how young they both were; by the looks of them, they were not much older than I was. Joseph walked around the carriage, then reached up and took Emma’s hand to help her down. He continued to hold her hand as they stood there, gazing at each other. He lifted her hand and kissed it and then led her off the road and into the underbrush.

  “Come. You won’t want to miss this,” Grandma said as she stood and gestured for me to follow. We were about twenty feet from the carriage, and I wanted to jog to catch up so we wouldn’t lose Emma and Joseph, but Grandma maintained a casual pace. “Don’t worry, I know where they’re going, and I want to give them a bit of a head start.” I grudgingly obeyed, and we continued to stroll slowly along. As we drew nearer to where they had disappeared, I could see a small path beneath the trees and undergrowth. We pushed a few branches aside and entered what seemed like a fairyland.

  The path widened and trees formed an archway above it. The sound of a stream was louder now, and birds and butterflies flitted about everywhere. A small squirrel darted across the path a few feet in front of us, and I laughed. I wished I had a place back home as beautiful as this to escape to when I wanted time alone. Something about being in nature made me feel closer to who I really was, and that I was a part of something important. I took a deep, cleansing breath, wanting to take this all in and remember it forever.

  Grandma and I continued walking in companionable silence. She seemed to want me to have time alone with my thoughts, and I was grateful. Things seemed to be coming into focus in my mind. It felt like someone had removed a pair of foggy goggles from my eyes, and for the first time I could see things as they really were. I felt peaceful and happy, not worrying about boys or clothes or dances. I was just . . . me.

  We reached a bend in the path, and as we came around the corner, I caught sight of Joseph and Emma standing by the stream. The tall grass was dotted with beautiful wildflowers, and the couple looked like they belonged in some magnificent painting, framed perfectly by their surroundings.

  We were too far away to hear their conversation, but suddenly I didn’t want to move any closer. I felt like this was a special moment, and I understood why Grandma had wanted them to have their space. Even though they couldn’t see us, I knew it would feel wrong to interrupt whatever words they were sharing.

  Just then, Joseph bent down on one knee, though he kept both of Emma’s hands in his. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the adoring look he gave her and the look of surprise and joy on Emma’s face as she wiped away a few tears and nodded happily. Joseph jumped up and swung her around, both of them laughing, as happy as I’d ever seen anyone.

  I turned to Grandma, and she was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. She looked at me and sniffed. “Now, wasn’t that worth coming here for? There’s nothing like a sweet marriage proposal to get the tears flowing.”

  I giggled. “Oh, yes! It was beautiful. They seem so much in love, and I’m grateful you let me witness this. I hope that someday a man will look at me the way Joseph looked at Emma.” I stared into space, all dreamy-eyed.

  “Yes, it is important that you find a nice young man who loves you and who will take good care of you—but that’s not the reason I brought you here today.”

&nbs
p; I felt a little embarrassed. “Oh, well . . . why did you, then?” Grandma looked back at Joseph and Emma, who were sitting in the grass with their backs against a tree. Emma rested her head on Joseph’s shoulder, and he held her hand, their faces full of contentment. They were deep in conversation, and I imagined they were discussing the happy prospects of their future.

  “When Emma agreed to marry Joseph, she knew it would not be easy. Because of his experience in the Sacred Grove, Joseph was already well-known in the community and openly mocked and persecuted for his testimony, but Emma believed him. She loved him, of course, but more important, she had faith. It was her faith that carried her through the many, many trials she would endure throughout her life.”

  As Grandma spoke, our surroundings began to get hazy, and the scene in front of us slowly changed.

  It was nighttime. We were standing on a snow-covered road outside a house, but all of the windows were dark. Joseph sat waiting in a carriage, and Emma slipped out through the front door. She hurried to the carriage with a small bag under her arm. He helped her up into the seat and then climbed up and took the reins. Before starting off, he gave her a look that seemed to say, “Are you sure about this?” Emma smiled and nodded resolutely. Joseph flicked the reins and the horse walked forward quietly. I saw Emma look back at her home, just once, with tears in her eyes, and then she straightened her back and looked forward.

  “Emma’s father was against their marriage. Joseph asked Isaac Hale for his daughter’s hand several times, but Isaac wouldn’t relent. Joseph and Emma finally decided to elope, which is what you’ve just seen, but things were different back then. It was a very serious thing to go against your parents’ wishes, and they didn’t have phones or e-mail in order to keep in touch easily. When Emma left, it was with the full realization that she might never see her family again in this life. It was the first sacrifice she made by faith. If you can imagine yourself in the same situation, you’ll understand it was a big sacrifice—and it was only the first of many.