Meridian Magazine : : Missionary Journal

Share the article on this page with a friend.
Click here.

We Made a Prophecy Come True
by Jenny Gabehart with Peggy Proctor

In 1975 my eldest son was killed in a vehicle accident. Steven was killed by a young man high on drugs and drinking alcohol while driving. Without stopping, the young man raced away, never reporting the accident. Later the accident was reported by the hospital. An investigation followed by the AIS from Adelaide. The authorities found the driver sitting at brunch with his parents. When questioned about not reporting the accident, he said, "I was going to as soon as I ate breakfast." The time between gave him opportunity to cover his drinking.

The death caused such grief and turmoil in my life that my marriage broke apart and I moved to Mount Gambier in South Australia.

Twice, a few months after his death, my son visited me. The first time I was afraid and told him, "You shouldn't be here." He just looked at me and left.

The second time he had our dog Tyke with him and was dressed as he was the last time I saw him alive. He quietly said "I just wanted you to know I am okay, Mum". I told him I loved him and he left. That was before the plan of salvation was explained to me and before I had joined the church, so I knew without a doubt, even then, that there was life after death.

A couple of times I had missionaries come to my door but would not let them in. I used to say, "When you can answer my questions, I will listen to what you have to say." Then I would shut the door on them. How smart was I? I never asked the questions, so they could not give me answers.

In 1978 Elder Brad Carter and Elder Dell Crane came to my door. I said the same thing to them that I had to the others.

Elder Carter asked me, "What questions do you need answered?"

I told him about my son being killed, and that I wanted to know why the person who killed him got off with no punishment, while my son who had harmed no one, lost his life at the age of seventeen.

Elder Carter, in an inspired response, asked me, "Do you love your son?"

Shocked at the question and injured, I told him, "Of course I do!"

"Think how much more Heavenly Father loves him.------ Would you take into your home the person who caused your son's death?"

Angrily I said, "No way!!"

"Neither will Heavenly Father ---yet. The person who killed your son, still has a lot to learn, whereas your son has done his duty here and now has greater things to do".

This made me think, and as I had promised to listen if they would answer my questions, I listened.

I recall that each time they called, I had just made a cup of coffee or lit a cigarette. It was hard to give these up, but the Word of Wisdom discussion made a huge impact on me. Of even greater impact, was the patience of these two young missionaries and the way in which they taught me the plan of salvation which made the most sense to me. I also remember the day they challenged me to attend church. Church was held at the high school, as there was no chapel at that time. I accepted the challenge to attend, turned up at the school, and spent the next three hours sitting in my car because I didn't know where the meetings were held and there was no one to show me. Despite this, I came again the next week and continued learning.

When I accepted the challenge to be baptized, I was offered the sea at six a.m. on a May morning [May here is very cold] or the use of the heated pool at the YMCA at nine p.m. No prize for guessing which I chose. I was baptized on May 2, 1979. Many church members attended and I felt such love and —protection. I felt safe, as if I had special arms around me; now I know of course, I had.

I still have the Book of Mormon in which both Elders wrote their testimonies.

After my confirmation Elder Carter said, ---"One day we will meet at the Salt Lake Temple."----

"Yeah, I said, I don't think that is likely. I live in Australia and there is no likelihood of my ever getting to Utah."

As God would have it, later that year I met an American who became my husband. --- My former husband would not let me talk about my deceased son but when I met my sweetheart, he let me talk away my pain and grief. He also reinforced my understanding of the plan of salvation. My sweetheart was raised in the gospel and his mother's family became members in the early days of the church. In fact his fourth great grandfather was Joseph Knight Senior whose son, Newell Knight, was the Prophet Joseph's friend, so you see he had a very firm grounding in the truths of the gospel.

With the help of my new husband and his explanation of the plan of salvation, my grief was easier to handle. I just wish I had had that knowledge when my son died. I would have been able to cope with it then, as I do now.

My husband and I were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple on 26th March 1988. My son, Steven was sealed to us, with the consent of his natural father.

I prayed so hard during the sealing that I would be allowed to see Steven there, but it was not to be. I do know, however, that he was there. The proxy for my son told me he could feel Steven's presence there in the sealing room with us, as I could.

In 1988 when we decided to move back to Australia, I said to my husband----

"I wish I could find those two Elders who taught me the gospel and make a prophecy come true."

He simply said, "Start looking!"

The only thing I had to go on was that I remembered Elder Crane wanted to be a mortician when he returned home to Pocatello, Idaho.

I got an Idaho phone book and looked for him. There it was, Elder Crane's phone number! I called; we reminisced and he gave me Elder Carter's home number. As soon as I said Elder Carter's name, he knew who I was. It was so good to hear his voice on the other end of the line. We made a date to meet at the temple.

When I saw those elders again at the Salt Lake Temple, I felt like weeping. I never thought that Elder Carter's prophecy EVER had a chance of coming to pass.

We participated in a session together and then a meal. Elder Carter was there with his wife and family and Elder Crane who came down from Idaho with his wife and family. ---We made a prophecy come true. ---

I sincerely believe that the gospel would have found me and I would have accepted it, without the death of my son. (How can you not accept the truth?) But Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself, and that loss opened my heart to listen and to learn. I am a stronger person for the lesson this has taught me. Sometimes, especially on Steven's birthday and the anniversary of his death, I still need a little extra TLC and so I ask Heavenly Father to please put His arms around me for a little while. He does and I feel His love and compassion for me. He knows my pain, His son was sacrificed; my son was taken home early.

I am human, not saintly (but I am trying). Until a little while ago, I tried not to think of the young man who caused me so much pain at all. But I know that he is still learning his lessons, and I feel so sorry that he is doing it the hard way. I have forgiven him, yes. I understand he is a child of God. just as I am. He caused Heavenly Father pain with his actions. But my pain now is bearable because of the love that has been shown to me by brothers and sisters in the gospel. It is bearable because of the comfort of the Holy Ghost, the knowledge that God lives, and that Jesus is my Savior and Redeemer. It is bearable because I know that I will see Steven again if I do what is right.

Having a child on the other side of the veil is a great incentive to live righteously.

I will forever be grateful to two young men who would not let me shut the door. Once again I have lost track of the two special young men who set me on the path which I am following now. ---If they should read this, I hope they will know that I still think of them with much love and gratitude for teaching me the plan of salvation and giving me the knowledge that I have not lost my son. He has just gone home before me, and if I stay true to my covenants I can have him as my son for eternity.