Invaluable

by Holly J. Wood

  Grandma paused. “Now this may seem like a small thing to ask—for a wife to talk to her husband—but things were different back then. Entering the court of the king without his invitation was a crime punishable by death. On top of that, Ahasuerus had not sent for Esther in thirty days, which was a sign that she might be losing favor with him. So, Mordecai was asking Esther to take her life in her hands by appearing before the king. She was understandably terrified!”

  I raised my eyebrows and shook my head in disbelief, and Grandma nodded solemnly before continuing. “However, instead of refusing, Esther had great courage and faith. She told Mordecai to gather all of the Jews in Shushan and ask them to fast and pray for her, and she and her handmaidens would do the same. At the end of three days, she would go before the king, and in her own words, she said, ‘If I perish, I perish.’ What you are witnessing, Eliza, is the end of the three days. In a few hours, Esther will go in to the king.”

  I felt goose bumps on my arms as I looked at the group of women. Now I understood the tortured expression that had been on Esther’s face. I couldn’t imagine willingly doing something that might mean my own death. I felt sorry for her, but one thought was comforting. “But Grandma, the king doesn’t kill her, does he? I think I would have remembered that part of the story if he did. She’s going to be okay, right?” I wished that I could remember the details of the account better.

  “We’ll watch the events as they unfold, but there is a great lesson here I want you to learn. Along with great courage, faith, and obedience, Esther’s story teaches a valuable principle—individual worth. Esther could have kept her heritage a secret, and she could have lied if she was ever confronted about it, but she didn’t. She was willing to put her life at risk for the sake of others because she recognized that the worth of each soul is precious to our Heavenly Father. It was up to her to try to save her people, and she wisely turned to prayer and fasting so that she would be spiritually prepared for the enormously difficult task.”

  As Grandma spoke, I noticed that the women were beginning to stir. They were finished with their prayers, and the semicircle parted, leaving room for Esther to walk through. She stood, and for the first time, I got a good look at her.

  The word that instantly came to my mind was “regal.” She was tall and slender, and there was a certain grace in the way she carried herself. Her features were flawless. She had the lovely olive-toned skin and dark hair that the other women had, but her hair had a lustrous shine to it. Her eyes were large and bright from her recent tears, with finely arched eyebrows that framed them perfectly. She had thick eyelashes that I thought existed only on mascara commercials and that made her beauty even more exotic. High cheekbones were in perfect symmetry with her narrow nose, and a rosy, full-lipped mouth completed the masterpiece that was her face. Even by modern standards of beauty, she was stunning, and I could see why the king had chosen her for his bride.

  With Esther leading the way, the group of women walked slowly down a path that led to the arched entryway of one of the palace quarters.

  “They’re going to the House of the Women to dress Esther in her royal apparel before she enters the court of the king. Come, you’ll want to see this.” Grandma and I walked quickly to catch up with the women before they disappeared through the entrance.

  I watched in awe as Esther’s handmaidens prepared her to go before King Ahasuerus. They bathed her from head to foot (Grandma and I toured the lavish rooms during this part, but I did notice the oils and rose petals in the bathing water), then they dressed her in a gorgeous gown made up of yards and yards of burgundy silk. Next came her long, glossy hair. The handmaidens fussed over how to style it, finally pinning it up high on her head and allowing a few loose curls to escape here and there. The effect was very flattering.

  I almost didn’t want them to cover her hair with the lacy veil, but then I saw the jewels they were bringing out, and I was instantly distracted. An enormous gold necklace was placed around her neck, with matching gold-and-pearl earrings for her ears.

  As the final touch, they brought out the royal crown. It was also made of gold and so finely crafted that I wondered how they’d managed to make something so intricate with the limited technology they had back then.

  After the crown had been placed on Esther’s head, the women stood back to admire their work. The overall effect was overwhelming, and I had to keep myself from bowing. She was a vision of royal magnificence. She was a queen.

  One woman brought Esther a mirror; she glanced in it briefly, nodded in approval, and then returned it to her servant. Throughout the entire dressing process, Esther’s manner had been as one preparing for the gallows, but I saw her gradually muster her courage.

  She turned to each of her servants, hugging them and offering smiles of gratitude and encouragement. It was easy to see that they loved her in return, and it occurred to me that these women must have grown very close in the time they’d been together. It was touching to see their obvious affection and support for each other. They were here for Esther in her hour of need, ready to help in whatever manner they were able to.

  Finally, Esther faced the door, signaling that it was time. She took a deep breath, pulled her shoulders back, and with her head held high, she moved forward, prepared to receive her fate.

  I had expected to follow behind Esther and her handmaidens as they walked to the court of the king, but before I knew what was happening, Grandma had transported us to a huge, vaulted room. I was about to protest when she explained, “This is the inner court of the king’s house. This is where Esther will come before him. I wanted you to see everything that transpires from this vantage point, rather than from behind Esther’s escorts. Plus, this gives you a chance to look around at the grandeur of the court before the action starts.”

  I smiled in understanding and nodded. “Thanks, Grandma. You think of everything, don’t you?”

  She chuckled. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I do my best.” She pointed to the far end of the room where I saw a man who was clearly the king. Dressed in royal apparel and wearing an enormous crown, he sat on a throne that easily made him a foot taller than any of his servants. Guards and other men in various official-looking clothing flanked either side of the throne. The king seemed engrossed in a conversation with a man on his right.

  “Who’s that man sitting next to the king?” I asked in a whisper. I guessed he was some sort of noble since his seat was second highest to the king’s, and even from where I was, I could see that he fancied himself as a very important person.

  Grandma’s eyes narrowed. “That is Haman, the wicked man responsible for all of this trouble.”

  I looked at him in disgust. “How could anyone be so evil as to want to destroy thousands of people—an entire nation—just because of his pride?”

  She frowned sadly. “I know. It’s difficult for me to understand too. The adversary has been around from the time of Adam, stirring up men’s hearts to anger and hatred. It’s essentially the opposite of what I told you before—while God values each soul and all are precious to Him, Satan seeks to devalue human life and its worth. He can never have a body, so he goes about whispering lies to those who will listen. And, unfortunately, Haman had open ears. He was so prideful and he valued his own life so much that slaughtering thousands of Jews meant nothing if it would soothe his injured feelings.”

  There was a loud, creaking sound, and I looked over to see the great doors of the court swing open. A sudden hush fell over the room as everyone turned to see who dared enter the court uninvited.

  Esther appeared in the doorway, and I could almost feel the shock of the courtiers at her presence. I glanced at the king, and he seemed as stunned as everyone else, though any other feelings he may have had were unreadable in his stoic expression.

  Still carrying that aura of calm courage, Esther proceeded to move a few steps further into the room, and then bowed before the king. One of her servants was shaking so badly that I thought th
e poor girl would faint, but Esther remained calm. All eyes were locked on the queen as she rose from her bow, awaiting whatever decision the king would make. I held my breath.

  After a few moments of agonizing silence, the king arose, holding a golden scepter I had not noticed before. He held it out to Esther, and the whole room seemed to melt in a collective sigh.

  Esther moved forward gracefully and placed her hand on the top of the scepter, and then she smiled sweetly at the king as he gestured for her to sit on the throne next to him.

  Everyone resumed talking, and I blew out my breath. “Whew! That was totally nerve-racking! I was worried there for a second, but everything’s okay now, isn’t it?” I felt giddy with relief.

  “Yes, everything’s fine now. With the Lord’s help, Esther managed to save her people. There’s more to the story, but if you want to find out what happens, you’ll have to read the account for yourself.” She chuckled. “I was getting a little worried about you there for a second, Eliza. You were starting to turn a peculiar shade of purple from holding your breath. I’m sorry to have put you through the suspense, but a good nail-biter is fun to watch once in a while, don’t you agree?”

  Before I could respond, we were once again transported, and I found myself sitting on the sandy shore of a beautiful beach.

  “Whoa, Grandma, a little heads-up next time would be nice. All of this fast change of scenery is giving me motion sickness!” I held a hand up to my forehead to illustrate my point. “What are we doing here? And where exactly is here?”

  “I know this mode of travel is a little difficult to get used to, but believe me, it saves time,” she answered with a smile. “This place doesn’t hold any significance, other than its beauty. Just sit back and relax, and we’ll have a quick chat before it’s time to go.”

  I was only too happy to oblige. Living in Utah, I rarely got to see the ocean, and it felt wonderful to be so close to the water. I took a deep breath, reveling in the rich, salty smell of the air and the feel of the powder-soft sand enveloping my feet. The sound of the waves was soothing as I watched the sun dip lower and lower on the horizon, leaving behind drifts of pale pink and orange clouds. Palm trees dotted the shoreline, and as I looked around, I realized that we had the beach completely to ourselves.

  Grandma seemed thoughtful as she sat beside me. She allowed me a few quiet moments to enjoy the breathtaking scenery before she spoke. “You know, Eliza, the lesson you are learning from this dream is one of the most important lessons of your life. When you study the mortal ministry of the Savior, you realize that He spent much of His time among those who were considered outcasts by their peers. The scribes and Pharisees mocked and scorned Him for associating with the kind of people He did, but of course, that didn’t matter to the Lord.

  “He is able to look past our exteriors and our flaws and into our hearts. Likewise, He has asked us to do the same. It’s human nature to cast a quick judgment on others before we even get to know them. For some reason, most of us have a tendency to want to label others, and more often than not, that label is incorrect. If we could see all of our brothers and sisters as the Lord sees them—as His beloved children—there would be much less evil in the world.”

  She sighed. “Unfortunately, it seems that sometimes girls can be especially cruel by vocally criticizing others. Tell me, have you ever studied someone’s face when they’re gossiping?”

  I was a bit puzzled by the question. “No, not really. Why?”

  “The next time you hear someone gossiping, take a good look at their countenance. It’s my personal opinion that when someone is gossiping or making fun of someone else, that person’s own appearance becomes a little uglier. I think it is because gossiping, backbiting, and mocking are all things the adversary does, and when we participate in them, it darkens our countenances. Never participate in these things, Eliza. It may seem like a small matter, but the way we treat others in action and word—even if they can’t hear us—greatly affects our spiritual growth.”

  I hung my head a little. Grandma’s advice stung because I knew I had been guilty of gossiping on more than one occasion. Jill and I had a tendency to make fun of people (specifically Chelsea) more than we should. I think we mostly did it to try to feel better about ourselves in comparison to Chelsea—and also because she wasn’t the easiest person in the world to get along with—but I knew now that I needed to stop.

  “Along the lines of not judging others,” Grandma continued, “I want to add a word of caution. Sometimes people get so carried away with not wanting others to think they’re judgmental that they lower their own standards to prove a point. This is not what I’m talking about. If your friends invited you to a party where there would be drinking—which I hope would never happen because you should choose friends with your same standards—it wouldn’t be wise to go to the party simply for the sake of proving to your friends that you don’t judge them or that you want to be the ‘good example.’

  “Remember, in order to lift your friends, you have to be on higher ground. Stick to your morals, never compromise, and they will respect you for it.” Grandma’s face brightened. “Now, we’re almost finished, but there’s one last thing I want to talk about. In what way do you think you could apply the story of Esther in your own life?” she asked.

  I thought back on the scenes I’d witnessed and felt a little stumped. Grandma had already pointed out the significance in the story about the worth of souls and of Esther’s courage and faith. I knew she was looking for something more, but I wasn’t sure what that might be.

  “To be honest, Grandma, I think you already covered most of it. I know I can do better in not judging others and things like that, but Esther was a queen. She saved the lives of thousands of people. I don’t see how that will ever apply to my life.”

  “It’s true that you will probably never be in the position where people’s physical lives are in your hands, but you can still be an instrument in helping to save someone spiritually. There are millions of people who are dying in a spiritual sense, and they need someone to help rescue them. The only way to be saved is through the Savior, but you can help them find the path back to Him. You will have opportunities in your life to share your testimony with others, whether by word or by example. I hope that when you are faced with those situations, you won’t shrink from them, but will be as Esther was—steadfast and courageous.”

  Grandma reached into the sand and pulled out a beautiful red seashell. Like the other tokens she had given me, the shell was small and fit easily in the palm of her hand. The shell was perfectly round, and as she placed it in my hand, I noticed a circular pattern that started from its outer edge and continued inward until I could no longer see where it ended.

  “Just as the shells of the sea are unique in color and design, each of us is unique. Yet, each and every one of us is precious to our Heavenly Father, and He loves and cares for us individually.

  “The circular pattern on this shell seems to continue on forever, and it represents the limitless potential within all of us if we put our trust in the Lord. Never forget your worth, Eliza! Never forget the amazing potential that lies within you, just waiting to be set free! Once you begin to realize the great power that comes from putting your life in the Lord’s hands, you’ll want to help others realize their true potential also. That’s the key to true joy. That’s what Heavenly Father wants for you.”

  I felt the chills on my arms again, and a warm, happy feeling rushed through my body at Grandma’s words. I knew what she said was true, and knowing that I was important, really important, and loved by Heavenly Father made me feel joyful in a way I couldn’t describe.

  Suddenly, I wanted everyone to feel as happy as I felt at that moment, and I began to understand what Grandma meant about helping others. I reached over and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Grandma, for everything. I promise I’ll do my best to remember all of this and act on it.”

  She gave me a brilliant smile. “I know you will, sweethea
rt. I know you will.”

  I looked again at the tiny shell in my hand and traced its ridges with my finger. Stars were beginning to appear in the sky and I lay back on the sand to enjoy them. The rhythmic sound of the waves combined with the glittering canvas of purple sky above me made me feel drowsy and happy. I struggled to keep my eyelids open, not wanting this blissful moment to end, but after a few minutes, I couldn’t resist any longer and I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

  Chapter Eleven

  Don’t forget the test is tomorrow. It will be a comprehensive test, covering everything we’ve gone over in the last three weeks.”

  My stomach fell at Mrs. Bartlett’s words. How could the test be tomorrow already? I was in no way prepared for a math exam.

  I shoved my calculator and notebook into my bag. With shoulders slouched in defeat, I trudged out the door. As I opened my locker to exchange some books, a folded piece of paper fell at my feet.

  In my despair over math, I’d forgotten to look for a note from Jason. He hadn’t left one yesterday, and seeing one today made me feel secretly pleased. Texting him yesterday must have done the trick. I liked the way the notes made me feel. It was nice to know that someone thought I was special and took the time to tell me so.

  I tried to ignore the gnawing guilt that reminded me I didn’t necessarily return his feelings, and unfolded the paper.