The Book of Zion
By D.T and Mr Stepford
1 Darlene 13
Standing once again at the crossroads Darlene resolved to choose the right-hand path. She wasn’t sure what shape her future would hold, but she would figure something out. Just like Ruth and Elizabeth she was ready to LET GO OF her doubt SURRENDER her pride and SUBMITTED to GOD’S will She lifted her foot to step toward the right-hand path but as she was bring it down she found herself waking up to sunshine and birdsong.
“Blessed morning to you Sister Darlene” Darlene turn over and saw Annkia laying next to her “Blessed morning to you Sister Annkia” she replied. They raised from the bed and went downstairs to get dressed. The sister dressed Darlene in a pleated dark blue skirt that hung down past her knees with matching blue heels and a white long sleeve blouse button to the top with a brooch pinned between her collar. " There was something I was going to do today” this thought pass through her mind as she walked over to the mirror to give herself one finally look over
I have to speak to the prophet, she realized. Tell him my decision. As they headed downstairs for breakfast Darlene decided to wait to share the news. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to stay with this family, and she didn’t want to raise any hopes only to have them disappointed. “Where is prophet?” Darlene ask as they entered the dinner room “He had a priesthood meeting this morning” Annkia replied “But he did want to talk with you and see if there was any questions you needed answered about the church, would that be alright?”
“That’s fine,” Darlene said as she helped to serve the younger girls, spreading jelly on toast and pouring milk as though she’d been doing it all her life. “Splendid, We will go to the church after we drop the children off at school” Annkia replied. After breakfast was done they gathered in the living room for morning devotional. Darlene found herself kneeling between Loren and Emily who seemed to have taken a special interest in her.
“Behold, I answer for you; " Kelsey said as she read from the book of zion “for our brother and sister were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.”
The darkest abyss it was now clear to Darlene that this is where she came from and why she ever desire to leave the loving arms of Covenant to return seem strange. Emily and Loren held tight to Darlene hands as they walked to school. They crossed paths with Elizabeth Kimberly and Ruth. No longer sporting wrinkle skirts and untucked blouses Ruth and Kimberly were dressed to Covenant perfection with the blissful smile to match.
“Sisters what a blessing it is to see you” said Annkia “The Blessing our all our sister, we are headed to our first sister of chastity meeting. It is important as we wait for our glorious call to be wed that we stay pure in the body mind and spirit” said Elizabeth. “So true sister” Annkia said " and Sister Kimberly I hear you are staying” Yes sister” Kimberly replied “I must completely remove myself from the sinful world so that God can mold me into an instrument to do his great work” Praise God for that” Ruth interjected " Now that the devil influence have been removed from my heart there is nothing I want more than to receive missionary call so that I can bring the lost to the true church”
“That so courageous of Ruth” Darlene thinks to herself “to leave Covenant too spread the word….leave...Covenant….I..I...must….leave...Cov….NO….why would I ever want to leave Covenant?” Darlene shakes off this disturbing thought as they approached the school. Once the girls were in school the rest of them proceeded to the church. As before the quiet sounds of Nature were all around her but as she began to ascend the church steps Darlene heard another noise, the unmistakable rumble of a bus engine, just like the bus she’d intended to take Saturday to leave this place.
“Leave...Covenant” Thought begins to linger in her mind “I…..I...MUST LEAVE COVENANT!! She heard the other woman speaking her name, but Darlene didn’t answer. Without a word she turned and ran to the bus stop managing to get aboard just before the driver pulled away. She found a seat and kept her eyes shut not wanting to see the faces of those she was leaving behind.
As the bus drove past the now leaving Covenant sign Darlene finally gathered the courage to open her eyes not wanting to looking back she stared out the window that when she saw it....the mountain.