The Book of Zion
By D.T and Mr Stepford
3 Darlene 4
“Come with me sister” Annkia said as she gently began to lead Darlene to the door “The last part of the ceremony must only be witness by the Prophet and Kaitlyn new family” Still rather choked up, Darlene meekly followed Annika to the door of the baptismal chapel. She was starting to wonder if she’d ever figure out her way around in this place. “Oh my beloved sister” Annika said “What a anointed blessing you have witness” Darlene followed her to a small alcove near a window with a bench. As they sat down Annkia kept an arm around Darlene’s shoulders and with her other hand stroked her ripe belly. “You’re at 17 weeks now if I’ve done the math right,” Annkia remarked. “About that,” Darlene said sinking back into that now familiar feeling of warm bliss .” I believe Heavenly Father brought you to us for a reason, Sister Darlene. When you first arrived, you were, to all intents and purposes a starving orphan. Oh, not for food, but for love.”
The comfort of Annkia touch led Darlene to lay her head on Annkia shoulder and close her eyes.The blackness of her closed eyelids once again filled with that glorious light but she saw a shadowy figure emerge from the light it was the....blind man . Who is he? she wondered. How does he fit into all of this?
“The adversary is everywhere Sister” Annkia said this shook Darlene out of her daze “I’m sorry, did you say the adversary?” Darlene wasn’t sure she understood.“He is trying to hold on to your soul. Harder now that you are so close to your calling” “Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Are you telling me that the guy I gave five bucks to six weeks ago, is after my soul?” This was starting to get creepy. “He is not after your soul he has your soul it is only through acceptance of the ONE TRUE CHURCH that you can reclaim my your soul”
“And here I was thinking my soul was mine,” Darlene remarked. She felt a little better but also cut off. She vaguely remember that there was somewhere else she was suppose to be. She turned and looked back at the doors leading out of the church. They were wide open now, but what if she tried to go through them would they shut on her? “Our souls are not our owns they belong to heavenly father. The adversary stole them like a thief in the night.
Darlene held on to Annika’s arm as she continue to rub her belly. “The Adversary lies to us tell our souls of our own, that way are individual. But Heavenly Father can relieve us from these burden . If you don’t mind me saying I know that if you apply that to your walk with God you will have similar result. You are looking for answer when all you need to do is stop asking question and be a humble handmaiden”
“You make it sound so simple,” Darlene said .“It is simple my dear” Annkia said “The adversary clouds our mind with selfish thoughts about individuality” She was starting to be a little tired of all this, tired in general actually. Why did everything have to be in such absolute terms? Whatever else Annkia might have said next was drowned out by the ringing of the church bells. “Oh dear me it time for the blessing” said Annkia “Come Sister you must bear witness to the congregation”
Darlene let Annkia lead her back to the main sanctuary. Most were taking their seats, with just a quick glance she could of swore the man in the blue suit setting next brother stuart was the cab driver “cab….were was I going in the cab” she thought to herself. A special row near the stage had been reserved for Kaitlyn ,Randall , Elaine and Rebecca. The seat next to Kaitlyn was empty. Annkia led her to it and then went to sit with her own sister-wives.
No sooner did Darlene get situated then the door to the temple open with the Prophet, Kaitlyn, Randall Elaine, and Rebecca coming out from it. Kaitlyn had changed into A white lace dress with a high neckline. She had an expression of absolute peace on her face. “My Brother and Sister we stand together on this glorious day to welcome another child back to the Kingdom of GOD” Darlene could practically feel the emotions stirring through the sanctuary, chief among them being joy. “Sister Darlene would you arise and bear witness” Darlene stood and turned to face the congregation. “This afternoon it was my honor to watch as Kaitlyn was baptized into the One True Church.” She would have said more but she started to choke up with emotion. She was doing all she could to hold back the tears when she felt his hand touch her shoulder “all rise as we bless this child of God”
Everyone stood up. Kaitlyn knelt before the prophet while the others formed a semicircle behind her. “Sister Kaitlyn, in the name of the Heavenly Father, and by authority of the Holy Priesthood, I lay my hands upon thy head and seal upon thee a Patriarchal Blessing, and all the promises that belong to the new and everlasting covenant. Thou art thought the noblest of heart and desires, beloved of the Lord and his Angels have special care over thee,”
As Darlene watched and listened that cracking she’d felt earlier intensified. Her balance felt a little off as well, as though some great, repressive weight was on the verge of falling away.“Brothers and Sisters do you accept sister Kaitlyn into the one true church” The entire congregation spoke as one, “We accept Kaitlyn Darby as a Sister in the One True Church.” The sound of their voices sent a strange ripple through Darlene making that weight seem all the looser. “Sister Kaitlyn arise and proclaim the truth that Heavenly Father has revealed to you”
“I am a handmaiden of the Lord. My Heavenly Father has called me to bring the truth to the non-believers: that there is but ONE TRUE CHURCH. That weight lossen even more as those word began to ehco in Darlene head. ..there is but ONE TRUE CHURCH. ...there is but ONE TRUE CHURCH....there is but ONE TRUE CHURCH. She was aware of almost a throbbing tightness in her chest, as if, well, she couldn’t think of any other way to describe it other than she’d somehow sprained her heart. There were conflicting forces at work inside her and it was incredibly draining.Why did this all have to happen to me? What makes me so special? she thought, “You are God’s child” said a voice inside her head “God’s child” the voice now sound like a choir “His Daughter” “His Daughter” “Ascend to a Higher Standard” “Ascend” “Take the Better Path” “and be reborn” “Be Reborn”
Their voices blended into an indistinct blur and Darlene began to feel dizzy. She lifted her hands to block the sound, shutting her eyes tight hoping to stop the spinning. But the spinning increased and the sound got louder Be Reborn Be Reborn Be Reborn BeRebornBeRebornBeRebornBeRebornBeRebornBeReborn “NO!” she screamed. She must resist, She must not lost herself the way Lizzy and Kate did. She had to get out of here. She had to get out of here right now. She turned looking for the door, where was the door, she kept turning, or was the room spinning? The floor was tilting and she was....
Falling deeper and deeper into the darkness. she could see nothing but felt in her soul that a darkness was growing. But then she felt something grab hold of her hand and through the darkness that glorious light began to break through until it consumed her. When the light rescinded Darlene found herself flying in the clouds she looked over to see who was holding her hand and saw a Angel. Soon the clouds parted and there stood the church on the mountain. As they touched the ground, Darlene look upon the church and began to wept. Someone touched her face with a soft cloth, wiping away her tears. Looking up she saw the Angel. “Be not afraid, little one,” the Angel said though the voice didn’t seem to be coming from its mouth since the lips weren’t moving. The light radiating from its body made it hard to tell.
“Heavenly Father has placed you where you are meant to be with the family you are meant to have to serve as the vessel and instrument of His will, but you must choose to surrender your pride and submit to Him as a humble handmaiden.” In a blink they were back at the crossroads. One path led to the Church on the mountain. The other led back to a dark abyss where the Blind Man waited. This time Darlene didn’t hesitate. She lifted one foot and then the other stepping firmly on to the right hand path. Vines sprang from the ground and tried to snatch at them, but the Angel drew a flaming sword from somewhere and sliced them away.
“All of Heaven rejoices in your choice, Darling One,” the Angel said coming to stand before her. “The generations to come will bless you as a matriarch, beginning with this First Son.” The Angel reached out and placed both hands on her belly. Darlene, (Darling what that her name now?) felt an immense heat as the Power suffused her belly centering in her belly. The Light grew so bright she had to shut her eyes. When she opened them again, the Angel was gone, and it was the prophet’s hands on her belly.
“What say you Darling One” said the prophet When he spoke an absolute sense of rightness settled over her, seeping into her body to her very core. Of course that was her name, had always been her name, really, her true name, the one she was meant to have all along. Everything that had come before had brought her to this moment and this man, the One True Prophet, her earthly lord and master and custodian. The one who would take care of her and teach her and make her into a mother and a wife.
“I choose the Right,” she said in a clear voice, despite the tears that gently flowed down her cheeks washing away the last remnants of loneliness and fear. “I LET GO of my doubt SURRENDER my pride and SUBMIT to GOD’S will.” As the words left her lips she felt the return of that blissful warmth suffuse her body again centering itself on her womb. She knew, without knowing how, that Heavenly Father had special plans for her baby, that nothing from her old, sinful life could harm her anymore, and she need never be afraid again.
The prophet motion for Darling to kneel in which his newest convert blissfully complied. As he place his hand on top of her head he began to speak “Stay Holy through the essence of the of our Heavenly Father. Cry out for his glory and be bath by the blessing bestow on those who embrace the glory of the One True Church and are reborn from it. For you are wise with the knowledge of the one true God who reign supreme and you his coveted bride shall kneel before him and be anointed into his holy linage. Arise and Ascend anointed sister for you are bound by nothing in this sinful world. You are the Daughter of the One True God who through the power of his One True Prophet has redeemed you!”
The sounds of applause and cheers popped the intimate bubble that had surrounded them. Darling blinked as her eyes refocused. They were still in the church, in front of the altar. Turning she saw the prophet’s wives, Kaitlyn, Brother Steven, Brother Randall, Elizabeth and others that she recognized. All the women, and some of the men were weeping from joy.
There was a slight commotion and then Emily and Loren pushed past the adults and ran to her the same way they had her first night back. “Oh mother darling” Emily said as she and Loren hugged her “You have seen the Angel and choose the better path” “Now you can stand with us on the mountain” added Loren. Others also now came forward to offer congratulations. Before she knew it she engulf in a tearful hug by Kaitlyn and Elizabeth”Now we truly are Sisters in Zion,” Kaitlyn said.
Darling stood with her sister-wives on the mountain holding her son, Adam. It had been Six weeks she married her beloved Prophet and today was the day they would break ground for the new church. The whole congregation was there Kaitlyn who was married to Randall three weeks earlier had just announced that she was expecting, next to her was Elizabeth, who had wed Robert and was already beginning to show. It brought great joy to Darling heart to see her dear friends fulfilling their motherly callings. The Congregation all went quiet as the prophet came up the hill. Darling handed her son to Theresa and along with her sister wives took a shovel.
“Brothers and Sisters,” the Prophet said. “Today is a blessed day indeed. Many of you were privileged to witness the miraculous birth of my son.” He moved to stand between Darling and Theresa. “Through His mercy and benevolence He led our precious Darling One out of the dark wilderness of the sinful world to the place He prepared for her as my seventh wife. She came to us lost, lonely, frightened and hard, and she stands before us today, secure, beloved, serene and soft. Through the miracle of His awesome power, Heavenly Father transformed the child then growing in her womb into blood of my blood and flesh of my flesh.” He laid a hand gently on the baby’s head.
“Brothers and Sisters, today we begin the work of not only building His church upon the mountain, but His kingdom on Earth.” A tear fell down Darling face as she said Amen.