Your Refined Heavenly Home - Douglas L. Callister
The nearer we get to God, the more easily our spirits are touched by refined and beautiful things.
Speech
Britain’s Ben Jonson said: “Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee.”5
Our language reveals our thoughts, our virtues, our insecurities, our
doubts, even the homes from which we come. We will feel more comfortable
in Heavenly Father’s presence if we have developed proper habits of
speech. We not only wish to see God’s face “with pleasure,” we want to
open our mouths with confidence that our speech harmonizes with the
refinement of heaven.
Books
President David O. McKay was inclined to awaken at 4:00 a.m., skim read
up to two books each day, and then commence his labors at 6:00 a.m. He
could quote 1,000 poems from memory. We knew that whenever he stood at
the pulpit. He referred to the grand masters of literature as the “minor
prophets.” He was a living embodiment of the scriptural admonition to
“seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom.”
Music
There are events of life so sublime that they cannot be imagined without
the companionship of beautiful music. We could not have a Christmas
without carols or a general conference without sacred anthems. And there
could not be a heaven without music of surpassing beauty. Brigham Young
said: “There is no music in hell, for all good music belongs to
heaven.”24 It would be punishment enough to go to hell and not hear a note of music for all eternity.
Physical Appearance and Manners
There are those who flippantly say: “How I look has nothing to do with
how God feels about me.” But it is possible for both earthly and
heavenly parents to have unspoken disappointment in their offspring
without diminished love. I say it again: Sometimes heaven blushes but
loves on.
Brigham Young said: “Let us . . . show to the world that we have talent and taste, and prove
to the heavens that our minds are set on beauty and true excellence, so
that we can become worthy to enjoy the society of angels."
Even more, that we may enjoy the refined society of heavenly parentage,
for we are of the race of the gods, being children of the Most High.
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