How would you like to gaze into heaven for just 5 minutes?
Even seconds?
How would it change you?
What would you tell people?
Many people have spent time on the other side of the veil and have a story to tell. Author Marlene Sullivan spent countless hours in university libraries and Church archives documenting near-death experiences. Her book, Gaze Into Heaven includes true accounts from early Church members who gazed into heaven and lived to tell their story. It's touching. It's inspirational. And leaves you full of hope.
I am pleased to be part of her blog tour.
Here is an interview with Marlene.
How did you come up with the book title?
The title came from a quote from Joseph Smith. He said; “All men know that they must die . . . it is important that we should understand the reasons . . . of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world . . . and our departure hence. . . It is a subjectwe ought to study more than any other. . . Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that was ever written on the subject.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Period I, vol. 6, (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9 October, 1843), 50.
I became fascinated by the idea that if we could ‘gaze into heaven’ for even just 5 minutes, we would know more than studying for days and weeks! Incredible.
What kind of research did you do?
I lived in libraries for a while. J I did some research at BYU, the University of Utah, and Utah State; however, the majority of experiences came from the Church History Library and the Church Archives. I pored through old newspapers, early church magazines, and, in the archives, looked at countless collections of papers, journals, letters, and microfilms.
What was your inspiration for writing the book?
It might sound a little cheesy, but my main focus was . . . to increase faith and testimonies. After finding and reading these experiences, I was so touched that I wanted to share them with everyone! I wanted people to know that God exists, that He loves us, and that the gospel is true. I wanted people to know through reading these stories that life is but a fleeting moment and we should take advantage of our time here to learn and grow.
What will people gain from reading your book?
I hope it will build people’s testimonies. One lady wrote me and said; “I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I can't even tell you how grateful I am to you for writing it. My 12 year old nephew died in May and this has been a healing balm to my soul. I can't wait to send a copy to my brother. I have always been afraid to die, but not now. This book has power in its pages. It feels like hallowed ground just gazing into the cover.”
I was very touched by her email.
I hope people will be inspired to try a little harder and do a little better. To know that all acts of kindness mean so much, and to realize that this life is not just a testing period, but a chance for us to grow and learn. I hope people come away from this book with a firmer conviction that life continues on and that if we endure our trials patiently and learn from them, great blessings await us in the next life.
What are you most proud of in finishing the book?
The emotion I mostly feel is thankfulness to God for giving me an opportunity to serve Him by collecting these experiences so that others may read them. I know these experiences are of great worth to those who read them.
What does your book teach us that will help us in our daily lives?
I believe that near-death experiences give us a better understanding of what is important in life, here and now. It teaches us that this life is a time to learn and increase our knowledge of the gospel. It will help us become better people. We can benefit from the insights given by these near death experience and use them to re-evaluate our own lives—to see what changes we could make to improve. Learning about the next life can help us use our time on earth to be more productive.
CLICK HERE to purchase this book.
More about the author:
Marlene Bateman Sullivan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She is married to Kelly R. Sullivan and they are the parents of seven children. Her hobbies are gardening, camping, and reading. Marlene has been published extensively in magazines and newspapers and has written a number of non-fiction books, including: Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines, And There Were Angels Among Them, Visit’s From Beyond the Veil, By the Ministering of Angels, and Brigham’s Boys. Marlene also wrote the best-selling novel, Light on Fire Island.
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