When my father was in his early 80's, he served at the reception/recommend desk at the Oakland Temple. His job was to greet people and check their recommends to be sure they were current. Dad will be 91 in April and still has his sense of curiousity. Here, with his enthusiatic permission, is one of his stories:
"When I worked at the Oakland Temple, across from my desk hung the painting, The Second Coming. I realize most people don't think about things like I do, and maybe I'm too practical, but when you have eight hours a day to stare at a painting, I started to wonder.
"Jesus and the angels are wearing robes. Where did they get them? Are there cotton fields, looms, and seamstresses in heaven?
"They're also wearing sandals. Where did they get those? If they're made of leather, are there cows in heaven? Are there people to tan the leather and make the sandals?
"The angels have trumpets. Where did the trumpets come from? Are there factories in heaven that make trumpets?
"One day as I was talking to a temple worker, I mentioned the painting and my questions. She said , 'I've never thought about it. I just see the painting.'
"The next time I saw the woman, she told me, 'I wish you had never told me about that painting. Now I can't look at it without wondering where their clothes came from.'
"I felt bad. I never mentioned it to any other temple workers after that."
"When I worked at the Oakland Temple, across from my desk hung the painting, The Second Coming. I realize most people don't think about things like I do, and maybe I'm too practical, but when you have eight hours a day to stare at a painting, I started to wonder.
"Jesus and the angels are wearing robes. Where did they get them? Are there cotton fields, looms, and seamstresses in heaven?
"They're also wearing sandals. Where did they get those? If they're made of leather, are there cows in heaven? Are there people to tan the leather and make the sandals?
"The angels have trumpets. Where did the trumpets come from? Are there factories in heaven that make trumpets?
"One day as I was talking to a temple worker, I mentioned the painting and my questions. She said , 'I've never thought about it. I just see the painting.'
"The next time I saw the woman, she told me, 'I wish you had never told me about that painting. Now I can't look at it without wondering where their clothes came from.'
"I felt bad. I never mentioned it to any other temple workers after that."
So has he made you wonder, too?
(If you know my dad, you'll know he realizes paintings of Jesus and angels are just artists' interpretations. But that doesn't stop him from amusing himself by asking questions).
(If you know my dad, you'll know he realizes paintings of Jesus and angels are just artists' interpretations. But that doesn't stop him from amusing himself by asking questions).
No comments:
Post a Comment