Will You Take It With You?

My dad passed away last year.  I have thought a lot about the things we leave behind and the things we take with us.  Yes, whatever we may share and leave, we do take things with us!

In a conversation a few years ago, a friend shared his thoughts about ARK: the Attitudes, Relationships, and Knowledge that accompany us from this life.  Since then, I have also thought about the imperative need to also leave these things behind to bless the lives of others.

This is not about stuff.  Like it or not, someone else will have my stuff.  Housefuls, even storage units full of stuff are often what we think of people leaving behind, as trash or treasure, to be cared for by others.  Stuff?  People can steal stuff.  Strangers can (and probably will) buy my stuff at the Goodwill after I am gone.  Still other strangers may inherit my stuff as it becomes the stuff of Humanitarian Projects that extend throughout the world.  Some of my stuff probably deserves a direct trip to the landfill, and I should do everyone the favor of sending it there myself, before others have to sort through it and get sick of the me that used to be and resent the one I still am, somewhere out of reach.  Hopefully, my children will have better sense than to argue over any of my stupid old Stuff.

On the other hand; I know that, beyond the grave, my immortal soul will continue -- and with it will continue my attitudes.  Alma 34:34 reminds us that "that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life...will have power to possess your body in that eternal world."  This life is the time for us to prepare to meet God, which means (at least in part) that this is the time for us to choose to obey and to choose the way we feel about obedience.  Are we happy?  If not, why not?  And why not now?

Attitudes seem very personal and private, but we share them all the time.  Like it or not, I am sharing my attitudes with every breath, every typed or written word, every smile or frown or gesture or song.  I share my attitudes in the colors I choose to wear, the manner in which I clean my house (or not), the way I serve meals, and everything else!  Would we be more deliberate in choosing our attitudes if we could see the profound ways in which we impact the wider world, including (but not limited to) the hearts of those around us?  Philosophers the world over have spoken about this and even now physical evidence is beginning to verify their ideas (Masaru Emoto's work with water is fascinating and visually stunning), but the point is:  Attitude Matters.

Relationships also continue beyond the grave.  Our hearts do not forget the loves (or the hates) that we create on earth.  We have been warned that even unresolved addictions will torment us, since in a pre-resurrected state we do not have bodies with which to overcome them.  Doctrine and Covenants 130:2 has long been a comfort and a warning, for if "that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, and if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come....coupled with eternal glory," we need to be personally prepared to enjoy eternal glory -- and work now to create relationships worth exalting.  Are we building meaningful relationships?  Are we building people as we relate with them?  Do we relate better with stuff than with people?  What kind of future reunion are we preparing for now -- with each and every person we meet and know?

When I think of the eternal nature of relationships, I am reminded of my gratitude to Christ for the chance to change and truly improve.  I know I have not been perfect in my relationships, but He can improve them and make them worthy of exaltation.


Knowledge includes our skills, talents, memories, learning, experiences, and testimony.  As anyone who has had a near-death experience will relate, after death we remember everything from our lives -- the good and the bad.  Doctrine & Covenants 130:18-19 tells us that we take our knowledge with us into the resurrection and that "if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."  The good news is that our knowledge goes with us; but the horrible news is that, if we have not shared it, our knowledge goes with us.  That means that a main part of our lives should be making preparations to share the knowledge we have gained with the people around us -- and those who will come after.



In practical terms, what does this mean?  This is a message of action.  Read a book or take a class, of course -- but also teach a skill!  Write your experiences and memories.  Have you worked hard to learn something?  Share it.  If you have learned eternal Truths, spread your understanding. These are your true riches, with which you can bless the world.

What's in your ARK?  And what does it have to do with Motherhood?


Everything.




Photos from sxc.hu.  Artwork of Norriuke, Crissy Pauley, Benjamin Earwicker, Mathieu Boyer, and Odan Jaeger.