Growing Old

I found this story in my journal and wanted to share. This story occurred during a visit to Seattle and was recorded on July 19, 2010.

Hazel and I had the greatest conversation last night.

As we were watching America’s Got Talent, she saw a very old woman who was performing and said that she didn’t want an old person to be her mother.

Wondering why in the world she would say that I asked “Why?”

“She’s not beautiful,” Hazel replied.

My first thought was to start a discussion with her about how we are all beautiful, so I said a little bit about how we are all God’s children, but we would all get old. That didn’t really clarify much for her, in fact, she became concerned.

“Mommy’s going to get old?”

“Yes, I’m going to get old, too.”

“I don’t want you to be old.”

“ I know, but we all grow old.”

I’m not sure why, but I felt the need to add some extra weight:

“Someday mommy and daddy both are going to be old and die.”

I know, I know. This is enough to have any Father of the Year awards revoked and withheld for life. At this point, she started tearing up.

“I don’t want you to die”

“I know, sweetie, but everyone grows old and then they die. But you know what?”

“What?”

“Heavenly Father blessed us by sending Jesus. Jesus died, but then he was resurrected. He opened the way so that all of us could be resurrected, but this time we’ll have a body that cannot die and won’t grow old.”

She listened as I explained in simple terms about the resurrection and how her mother and father would grow old and die, but then have a chance because of what Jesus did to be resurrected and have our spirits come enter our bodies again, but with perfect bodies that won’t ever grow old.

“They won’t grow old?”

“No, they won’t grow old.”

“And they won’t ever die.”

“They won’t ever die.”

She asked if the old lady on TV would be resurrected as well:

“She will, too?”

“She will, too. And then her body will be pretty again like she was before.”

She was tired before the conversation, but this seemed to make her content enough that she didn’t answer again. I was left feeling very thankful that I could have a simple conversation with my 4 year old daughter in a way that reaffirmed my own testimony of the resurrection.