My Mungo and Grandma Woolums

I told Aunt Susan "Mungo is dead. Grandma Woolums is dead. Aunt Susan (you) are in the middle of Chemo and radiation, Uncle Denny had a heart attack, I have mono, Scott is still undiagnosed and ill, Anthony is not sleeping, Salina can't explain the extreme fatigue she has, Mom has MS, Teri will start bleeding at any moment, Kristin doing chemo, Amy doing chemo. I feel our family is a little bit cursed" She scolded me and pointed out that we are a very blessed family. That God is aware of us and that we will make it through this. OK I should be the one to comfort her-- her mother just died, she could face death, her hubby might also and her daughter... yet the rock in my life is comforting me. Scott has been crying non stop all day and I am Jekyll and Hyde swinging back and forth from indifference and unbearable grief. I'm even bit off Ben's head last night at church- because he teased me. This week has been emotional. When you perform it can be a roller coaster as the audience adds in a new dynamic and you pass the point of fixing things and learn to go with the flow of live theater. SO add in real drama and it pushes this little Missy to the brink of heartache. Luckily for me I have amazing friends who have a love for the Gospel, me and animals. Grandma's death they were not even going to tell me about until the play closed. Afraid after all the tears over Mungo I would not be able to pull myself together for the play and let down the stake. Scott slipped up and I felt awful that I might not have been able to express sorrow about Grandma because I'm not grown up enough to handle everything going on right now. She was so sweet. I loved the birthday cakes she made and that she was always kind and attentive to me. She loved Scott too. She has been lost without Grandpa since his death and her health has been very poor, so at 87 it was a mercy to take her home to God. The funeral is on Sat since Aunt Susan can't travel due to the treatment schedule until then. Mungo has not been himself for about 2 months. Looking back, we see this as it happened. It snuck up on us until this past week. If you didn't get to ever meet Mungo- he was special. He was more of a lap dog than a cat. Never stand offish always loving, talkative, friendly and curious. You know what he was to me? My boy. My dream of having something to love and mother in the form of soft fury love. I have been flooded with memories over the last 72 hours. 1. When Kaden fell off the slide and had a cast and had to drag himself along on the floor somehow Mungo could sense he needed to hold and love him and allowed it. Mungo was not to excited about children because they move fast and can be unpredictable-- but with Kaden he was really sweet. During one of Kadens sleepovers with us Kaden woke up with Mungo wrapped around his head. Kaden whispered to wake up me "Missy, Missy -- look at my fury hat" Kaden had a huge grin as his eyes rolled back and forth taking in the site of all 17 pounds of Mungo loving wrapped around his whole head. Mungo was giving Kaden kisses and purring. 2. When our niece Lauren was visiting he jumped right into her lap and slept with her. I think she was old enough to not look like a small child anymore and she is very good with animals. Lauren was not feeling wel and Mungo had this great love for others who were suffering. 3. The last time Kelsie slept over he really loved her too, she was not thrilled about all his fur- but he loved her. 4. He always greeted me at the door. He would come down the stairs like a bunny and then start talking like crazy and heading me towards his treats. HE LOVED HIS TREATS. I have felt GUILT every time I took a drink this week as my sweet boy could not even drink a lick of water. He was parched and had also quit eating. 5. He stayed right with me all the time. When I worked late right in my lap at the computer. 6. He loved stretching in the sun and always had his little paws crossed. 7. He loved to fetch and chase a lazer beam Scott would play with. 8. He LOVED Scott so much. 8. How he was so frightened of plastic bags and thunder. 9. How he would mope around when we got out the suitcases he hated us to leave him he did not like to be alone. 10. This soft little snore he had while sleeping. 11. How he fit perfrct into the nooks of my lap and arm. 12. How he helped me through Anthony moving. 13. He loved dark pants and greeeted anyone wearing black by rubing hair all over them- it made me laugh. 14. How stuborn he was he culd dead weight like no other animal I had ever seen If he didn't want to do something he did not do it.
I knew we needed to have him saved from pain when AUnt SUe was allowing him to sit on her lap last night. She loves Mungo but never once allowed him on her lap until she felt such pity last night for his skinny little face she was overcome with compassion. She told me I had to let him go. The vet said today that cats hide their pain because in the wild if they show signs of it they are hunted by other animals and they want to please and comfort us. SO I wonder how long he had been suffering? I can't handle this and yet I have no choice I hate death- the separation- but I am grateful for the relief from pain for the one suffering.
OH OUR HOUSE IS SO QUITE!!! It feels so empty- Scott can't stand to be here. I can't write anymore now. Ben just brought over food I don't know if it is because I was so mean to him- Scott gave me a love note after the play saying I can still do plays, that he loved watching me on stage... was that because he was worried about me too? Matt and Hillary sent gospel stuff about animals:)
Missy, Matt and I were really wondering what information there was about pets in the afterlife. I found this article. It doesn't say a whole lot, but I think it gives some references that would be useful to find out more. I know that there's nothing that I can to to fix things, but I hope the answer to the question: "Do animals have spirites and are they resurrected?" gives you at least some comfort. It was also comforting to me that many of the answers came from prophets. If there's anything we can do to help, let us know. Love, Hilary Joy
Where do animals fit in the eternal plan of things?
Gerald E. Jones, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Mar. 1977, 61–62
Gerald E. Jones, director, Institute of Religion, Berkeley, California “Nature helps us to see and understand God. To all His creations we owe an allegiance of service and a profound admiration.” Thus the General Superintendency of the Deseret Sunday School Union, President Joseph F. Smith, President of the Church, and Elders David O. McKay and Stephen L Richards, members of the Council of the Twelve, editorialized in the April 1918 Juvenile Instructor. Recognizing that the “love of nature is akin to the love of God” they reminded the members of the Church that “men learn more easily in sympathetic relationships of all life than they do in the seclusion of human interest.” (P. 183.) Many families recognize the importance of pets and the resultant loving and sharing among their children. Caring for pets can also develop a sense of responsibility.
Devotion of animals to families can be inspiring as well as practical. A recent news item related the bravery of a dog in saving the life of a small girl by breaking the window of a burning automobile and pulling her to safety.
A number of questions have been asked concerning the place of animals in the gospel plan:
Do animals have spirits and are they resurrected? Yes. The Prophet Joseph Smith received information concerning the eternal status of animals. Answers to questions he posed are in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 77. He also spoke about the resurrection of animals in a sermon but did not expand on the subject. (History of the Church, 5:343.)
To what degree of glory do animals go? The scriptures speak only of animals being in the celestial kingdom. Whether they go to other kingdoms is a matter of conjecture. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith on one occasion said the distribution of animals into all three degrees of glory is “very probable,” (Improvement Era, Jan. 1958, pp. 16–17.) To my knowledge, no other prophet has published an opinion on the subject.
Are animals judged and resurrected according to their obedience to laws? According to Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, animals do not have a conscience. They cannot sin and they cannot repent, for they have not the knowledge of right and wrong. (Man: His Origin and Destiny, Deseret Book Co., 1954, pp. 204–5.)
Can animals be with their owners in the hereafter? There is no revealed word on this subject. Reason would tell us that a rancher or farmer may not want all of the cattle he has owned during his life. On the other hand, emotional ties may be honored and family pets may well be restored to their owners in the resurrection. Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote that Joseph Smith expected to have his favorite horse in eternity. (Improvement Era, Aug. 1927, p. 855.)
Just what is the relationship between men and animals? Men are children of God. Animals are for the benefit of man. This does not mean, however, that man is not to have a concern for this part of his stewardship. The prophets in all ages have indicated that man will be accountable for his treatment of animals and that justice and mercy should be exercised concerning them. Alma encourages us to pray over our flocks. (Alma 34:20, 25.) There are numerous examples in Church history of animals being administered to by the anointing of oil and their resultant healing. In the best-known incident, Mary Fielding Smith’s oxen were spared to bring her pioneer family, including a future President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, to Utah. (Preston Nibley, Presidents of the Church, Deseret Book Co., 1959, pp. 234–35.)
Though the prophets have spoken frequently about man’s responsibility to show proper treatment to animals in this world, very little detail is known about the states of animals in the eternities. Greater emphasis is rightly placed upon man’s need to live the gospel and be worthy to return to his Heavenly Father where he will then learn the answers to such questions. Quoting again from the editorial cited at the beginning of this article: “Men cannot worship the Creator and look with careless indifference upon his creations. The love of all life helps man to the enjoyment of a better life. It exalts the spiritual nature of those in need of divine favor.” (Juvenile Instructor, Apr. 1918, p. 182.)