Scarred Face

Last night I met a young man, and his wife, in an LDS (Mormon) temple. This man had a severely scarred face, and instead of lips there was just a hole-which reveals his teeth and tongue.

I was surprised that despite his facial disfigurement, I did not cringe to look at him. Instead, I found him to be truly beautiful. It was as though the radiance of his beautiful and sweet spirit outshone the discolored shapes and patched skin colors of his face. All in white clothing, he looked nothing less than an angel to me.

I have often wondered how it might feel to be scarred in such an obvious manner. I made an opportunity to speak with him. He and his lovely wife, were very kind to let me ask a few questions, and share some personal feelings I have on the matter. Two of the things I asked were this:

1. Does it hurt? (It looks painful.) He replied that it didn't hurt at all.

2. How do people treat you when he goes into public?

(His reply (to paraphrase) was this:)

 "You do get some looks, but you can't worry about what the world thinks of you. You have to think about Heavenly Father, and really understand that your beauty comes from your spirit."

As he spoke those words, I could feel his testimony of what he spoke. He'd come to understand, in a deeply personal way, that our beauty has to do with the righteous development of our spiritual beauty. I could see that radiant beauty in his spirit, and in the way he carried himself- it's why I found the courage to speak with him.

I felt thankful for the opportunity to be at the temple to meet this man, and to have a reminder from him about where the placement of our values need to be in life, in order to achieve peace.

If only we would all understand what he does. If only we stopped placing so much value and emphasis on physical appearances, and really learned to place value on our spiritual development and love of Heavenly Father. If only we could see ourselves through the eyes of a loving God, and learned to make our hourly choices with Heavenly Father's pleasure in mind; imagine how much happier our society would be!

The following words seem applicable, and understood, to this scarred man -and to any of us, wading through tribulation:

 "Saints walk by faith and seek tabernacles of immortal glory"

1 Corinthians 5

1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (of our body) were dissolved, we have a building ( an eternal and spiritual home!) created) of God, an house (of glorious eternity) not made with hands, (for we are) eternal in the heavens.

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2 Corinthians 4:6-8

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

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Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-9:

"...if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

9 ...fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

I hope we will each resolve to move forward with greater faith, in believing that he has a plan for each of our individual lives.

I hope that whatever physical or emotional pain we experience, that we will have faith in God, and seek to see His higher purposes. Though it may appear that there are times we are alone, none of us are ever alone! Our God and His angels are always mindful and loving of us. And, if we allow it, our times of sorrow can bless us with "experience" for our "good!"

BUT--- During times of anguish, sorrow, or disappointment, We have to reach out our figurative hands and hearts to Heavenly Father, and we have to REALLY, truly, want him to help raise us from our "bed of affliction." That takes effort on our parts! But it's worth it, to see the miracles that are possible!

My desire is that you will know just how special You are, and to learn that your spirit "outshines every star!". No matter what circumstance you find yourself living in- there is ALWAYS Hope, but that kind of hope can only come through the power of God, and the saving power of Jesus Christ's atonement!

I wish you the peace to be found on your spiritual journey,
Christine