But I really would like your help and advice in another area.. this has been seriously troubling me to the point where I feel terribly terribly guilty and depressed, the church I attend at the moment teaches that we can "speak" something into existence due to the authority given to us by Jesus Christ. It's causing hurt just to write this but I need some answers... I have written to you before and although I'm not LDS and have never read the book of mormon I do have a great respect of your knowledge and understanding of the Bible, which is why I'm writing now. Anyway, to get to the point... my step father had been ill and in hospital for months previous to his passing away, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and alcoholic liver poisoning (not a good prognosis on either score!!), anyway the day he passed away I'd had a bit of a hard time that day dealing with his illness and said to my husband that I thought the reality of Ian's illness was beginning to set in, "Ian's going to die" is exactly what I said.. about two hours later we received a telephone call from my younger sister telling me that Ian had died.

I'm now struggling with the thought that I could have spoken this into being.... Ive not dared speak to my Pastor about this, mainly because I'm terrified of what he'll say, I feel so guilty I've even stopped going to church.... please Donny, if you can help then please do... is this theology correct that we are able to speak things into existence??? I'm so burdened with this at the moment and feel so ashamed and disgusted with myself... please please point me in the right direction...

Thank you May God bless you

1 TO every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

(Old Testament | Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 11)

It sounds to me like, given all that your Father-in-law had gone through in the last days of his life, it was his time to die and maybe ought to be considered a blessing for those of you who remain. You will miss him, surely, but he is free from pain, in an place of peace and love and rest.

Someone recently asked a question about near death experiences, and from what I gather, those experiences are innumerable. Most common in the accounts of those who have gone through that is the overwhelming love felt and the peace, so much so, that the one who is temporarily in the spirit realm seldom wants to return to his or her body.

Please do not worry another minute about your affecting the time of your Father-in-law's passing. I am sure it was coincidence, unless you were being prompted by unseen sources, that the time was coming, and yours was an inspiration of what was about to happen. The fact that you expressed it, I am confident did not have anything to do with the death or the timing. Please know that the Lord is in control here and that He doesn't do what we say. It's quite the opposite. We must follow His will at all times.

I hope this helps. You mentioned that you haven't read the Book of Mormon. Will you check out the presentation on the Book of Mormon in Multimedia of My Beliefs on my web site, before you even think or contemplate reading it, then please prayerfully read it.

God will bless you,

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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