Of Dogs and Doors and Pleasing Our Master

by Margaret Turley

This week my household was expanded by one four-pound teacup Chihuahua named Pepito. My daughter saw him at a dog rescue, took a picture with her cell phone camera, and sent it to my sister, who showed it to me. His face could be Bambi, and I fell in instant like. $150.00 later I had a dog – something I haven’t had since our family pet – Hercules – a buff cocker spaniel, died four years ago of cancer.

I am amazed at how much love a dog can give, with just a look of his trusting eyes, the happy wag of his tail, and the all-over shivering delight in his body. He is perfectly content to curl up in my lap while I work at the computer, or at my feet, or next to me in bed. He is smart and has learned to adapt to his new surroundings quite well.

I received an e-mail this week that dealt with death, dying and a dog. The story went like this:

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don't know.”

“You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side he heard a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here. When the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death. But I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

I’ve thought about that a lot this week. We know we have nothing to fear because of Our Lord’s atonement. In fact we look forward to having forever families and living with our Father in Heaven once more. We need to be as devoted and enthusiastic about pleasing our Master as our pets and more, since we have the ability to choose to do His will and keep His commandments.

We should also be as excited to share the “good news” of the gospel. We don’t know how it will be accepted, but we do know for each soul that receives the gospel there is great rejoicing by all the others in the next life. Then they can look forward to making the next step because they will know the Master too. All it takes from me is the faith of a mustard seed – much like my tiny canine that trusts me and does my bidding.