I went to lunch with some friends yesterday. The fish tacos were good, the conversation, better. At one point, one of my friends, who is currently working in the Young Men’s program, said:
“I asked some of the boys on Sunday what they would do if they found out that they only had 24 hours to live. Nobody really had an answer, but a few of them mentioned that they would spend some time reading the Book of Mormon. I didn’t tell them this, but that is he stupidest answer, ever. It’s like opening the road map after you’ve arrived at the destination.”
We all had a good chuckle, but it is a question that deserves some thought. What would you do?
Here are my thoughts:
If I knew I was going to die at Noon tomorrow, I figure I would spend some time getting my paperwork in order – life insurance, wills, etc. Write a farewell letter to my loved ones. Then I would spend the evening with my wife and kids. I would eat whatever I wanted. Lots of smoochin’. And I would probably stay up most the night repenting. The next morning I might spend some time writing some thank-you notes, and making sure there aren’t any remaining fences that need mended.
One thing for sure, is that I would arrange my schedule so that when my 24 hours were up, I would be in the temple. (I know…you can say it: Genius.)
While dying in the temple might prove inconvenient for some, I figure that it would be good on several levels:
1) It would sound so awesome at my funeral. “This good brother died while in the service…”
2) It would give the temple workers something different to talk about, and a sense of relief – because odds are, it should have been one of them.
3) When I arrive at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter can give me wink and say. “Well played, Brother. Well played.”
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I can’t stop telling people about your 3 reasons it’s good to die in the temple. So funny!
Thanks for that terrific tongue-in-cheek humor! I’m going to forward this to my grandma who, of course, works in the temple.
http://www.gonnaneedgrace.blogspot.com
Because I find the idea of dressing a body horrifying, I don’t want anyone to have to do that for me. THAT’S why I want to go in the temple–I am all dressed and ready to go!
I’m thinking being elbow deep in dirty diapers and bugery noses would have the same affect as being in the temple when one dies…at least I hope so..
I don’t think it counts as much in that situation, if it is self-inflicted.
I respectfully disagree…only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness and babies and toddlers and preschoolers are certainly among the “least of these” when it comes to the hungry and naked. So, mintifresh, I believe you would get a “Well played, Sister” for sure!
I guess I wasn’t clear: I meant if the death is self-inflicted, because of being elbows deep. 😉
Oh! I thought you meant “self-inflicted” as in too much “diet coke”=kids=diapers up to your elbows 🙂
I don’t know, MMM….How cool would it be, when Mosiah greets you, to say,”I was reading your book like 5 seconds ago” (because in my mind he’s one among many who are picking me up.)
I’ll probably have to schedule an appointment years in advance to meet Mosiah, or you.
Perfect plan! I would also include a slow walk through our woods: touching, smelling and memorizing everything about this beautiful little planet that I have enjoyed so much.
Although picking the temple sounds great…I can’t help but wonder if my time might be better spent bearing testimony to my non member acquaintances of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration.
That sounds far less selfish than my idea – but not nearly as funny.
Brilliant. 🙂
Crystal: The quote at the end of your post today was brilliant. Thanks!
A seminary students asked me once, in the middle of class (so you know what that did to the rest of my lesson), “If you die in the temple do you go straight to the Celestial Kingdom?”
LOL Instant thought, ‘I Wish!’ and I may even have said it out loud. What?! Are you saying people who go to the temple aren’t perfect? Of all the lessons I taught her I’m pretty sure it’s the one seminary class she DOES remember.
I would spend my time pretty much as you described (except no smooching, but with 8 kids and 5 grandkids – someone of them out of state (oh the pain!) – there would be plenty of hugs and kisses) and there wouldn’t be enough time to complete any of it. I don’t know if I would die in the temple or (more likely) with my children around me.
It’s not just pregnant women you made cry. But old ladies aren’t that big a challenge, either.
Interestingly enough, when my husband and I were married, the sealer told us how his mother passed away in the celestial room after a session. In his words, “She passed through the veil and just kept on going.”
This makes me smile! 🙂
I find the death bed repentance interesting. It almost feels like you should add eating fish tacos to your list of things to repent for. That is just wrong.
If you time your death during the session it would help others wake up.
Not “death bed” repentance, just the daily kind – it’s been a few days since Sacrament meeting, so there is always stuff to resolve.
God put fish on this earth for our benefit and enjoyment. Gratitude dictates that we enjoy them. I happen to enjoy them in tacos.
Jesus ate fish.
Nice point! If I recall correctly, the resurrected, glorified, and perfected Jesus ate fish, and so did His disciples.
HAHAHAHA!
“..odds are, it should have been one of them.”
Priceless.
“Well played Brother, well played” Genius! Pure and simple genius!
Now that you are making me think about it. I would most def gather all my children around. Hunker in the house and just BE with each other. I would bear my testimony to them. I would personally tell each son what I learned from them and thank them for the privilege of allowing me to be their earthly mother. I would tell each of my daughters-in-love (DIL’s) how much I love them and appreciate the goodness they add to my son’s lives. I would hold my Chloee the entire time and smooch on her as much as I possibly could. I would hold Splenda Daddy’s hand, I would forgo sleep, (two for one since I could enjoy the last of my diet brown bubbly in the attempts to skip the need for sleep), and all the while the video camera would be rolling so that my posterity would have it forever. My future DIL, my future grandchildren, my kids to play over and over again.
Oh, and I would remind them of my SPECIFIC funeral arrangement requests and remind them that if they do not follow through, I shall haunt them forever.
Finally, since you gave me the great idea, I would time it so I was in the temple. However, I’d make sure I was in my white in the dressing room BEFORE the session. ‘Cause we all know that everyone gets ticked if something holds up a session.
mCat nice thoughts. I chose Celestial Room – that way they could just load me right into the casket. 🙂
You lost me at “The fish tacos were good.”
Nevertheless, well played.
Wait! Are you saying you don’t like fish tacos? My friend, you are living a partial existence. Such a shame.
A partial existence? Yep — the good part. I like my meat to have once had feet.
I’m sure God is terribly disappointed to hear that you shun such a wonderful creation – one that He gave to us for enjoyment and nourishment.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure if he’d wanted me to eat them, he wouldn’t have made them so icky. (Shudder just at the thought!) My family loves Thursdays because that’s the night I don’t get home for dinner and they can eat fish (or spicy food, or spicy fish…)
Paul: So tempted to flag your last comment as “Spam”.
Spare Parts of Assorted Mammals? Would that be better than fish?
Mammals have feet. Isn’t that your previously stated standard?
Yep. Though truth be told, although I want my meat to have had feet, I do not eat all meat that once had meet. I am not, for instance, a cannibal.
And, I don’t entirely mind SPAM, either.
Well I’m kind of disappointed that you didn’t spend a couple of minutes clueing in your large and faithful Blog Fan Club. The Temple idea is strangly appealing but ours is an hour or so drive, depending on traffic, and I would probably die on the way, taking someone else with me who wasn’t prepared.
So I’m talking on Father’s Day and in the middle of the night I was trying to get back to sleep & was thinking of Lehi as a great example of a righteous father. Then the thought came to me,”Nephi would have made a great Blogger.” Then as I’m half asleep, “Maybe MMM is one of the 3 Nephites.”
Nephi would have made a great blogger, but it would have been difficult. Apparently, back then, technology only worked when the user was being righteous. I know for me that its intermittent at best.
http://middle-agedmormonman.blogspot.com/2012/02/ancient-technology.html
Re: ambulance workers in temple.
Allow me to present my favorite go-to resource for … everything:
http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/67706/
Now the question is, would you time it to be in the middle of a session or already in the Celestial Room?
Celestial Room, so I could have a quiet moment with my EC, and there would be Kleenex available.
ROFL.
You’re weird…must be why like I your blog. ºÜº
Dear Pot:
Thank you for the comment.
Love,
Kettle
I have a friend who is a secret service agent. I imagine if Romney is elected then this fine brother will be getting the assignment every time the Romney’s go to the temple.
As for my 24 hours, I think my list is too long for only 24 hours. Lots of time holding loved ones tight and a long discussion with hubby about him marrying again (yes please and soon!).
I would want all my babies around me. I would spend the time taking a picture with each one of them, writing letters to each one. Oh, and bawling my eyes out. It would be heartbreaking to know that many of them would never remember me. *sniff*
And repenting. Asking them to forgive all my parenting mistakes!
Great, MMM– now you’ve made this pregnant woman cry. Excuse me while I go hug my babies…
Making a pregnant woman cry is not a big challenge. But sorry – it was just supposed to be a set-up for a laugh – not a soul-searching self-evaluation!
You do make me laugh, too. Though, yeah, it’s true it’s not hard to make a pregnant woman cry. I think this was already my 5th cry of the day…
I think it’s a great post– funny AND important to think about. 😉
One time we had a dinner table conversation about what would happen if both of us parents died. How would the eight kids get divided up among relatives? Would we keep the big kids together and the little kids together? Would we pair each kid up with the sibling of a similar age (because we have two big girls, two big boys, two little boys and two little girls) or would we pair up a big kid with a little kid? It was heartwrenching and I was a mess at the table for that meal!
Real: You need to have that conversation, put it on paper, and give it to a lawyer. Have him draw up a will that includes that kind of stuff. Living will too. Heartwrenching? Absolutely.
The day I felt like I had become a “real” adult was the day my husband and I went to JAG and had them help us write up a will, naming where our children will go, who our executors will be, etc. (we already had life insurance on both of us, but we didn’t have instructions for what to do with it if we both die).
I think it’s a sign of maturity to be ready in every way to die. How morbid does that sound…
On a much lighter note, I really love this post – what I love about it is what I love about all your posts, MMM – you make us think without getting all preachy, without stirring up a whole lot of controversy, and bonus – you give us a great laugh.
Thanks, MMM 🙂
I will say it! Genius!!!
I will say it! Genius!!!
I will say it! Genius!!!
I once dreamed that the next day was my last. I had recently buried my second baby and was kinda ok with it in the dream, relieved even. I told my husband about it at breakfast and asked, “what if today really is the last day?” I looked at him and 2 of my other children and burst into tears and finally knew for certain where I was needed. I was also crying and said, “I can’t die today, I have too much work to do, and there’s NO WAY the RS President is seeing my house in this mess!”
Amen, Sister! Amen. LOL!
A friend and I have a pact. If something ever happens to one of us the other will rush over and clean her house before the RS arrives. Awesomely reassuring!
Forget having someone clean if you die. Ask your best friend to come over and light a fire under the beds.
Hahahaha! Thanks for the chuckle this AM. And Alan…good question!!!!! I suspect they simply won’t be allowed in…unless they are worthy. And wouldn’t that be a comfort, to have a worthy priesthood holder as your protection? 🙂
I’ve always wondered if, (and when), that does happen, do the ambulance workers need to show their temple recommends first?
And, should Romney become president, will the Secret Service staff that day be required to do the same?
such are the unanswered questions in my mind . . .
Actually, this might be part of what the link below says. (I think I’d want to be left alone!)
http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/43264/
I was in the Idaho Falls temple when someone collapsed during a session. They were taken to the locker rooms and the paramedics took care of them there. I don’t think they were members, but they asked everyone to be in just their white clothes when they came to the locker rooms.