This is a painting I created for my sister who recently this year had to say good-bye to her sweet horse Sierra. Below are some quotes I’ve kept near me, that have helped build my testimony that we’ll not only see our loved ones again, but also those ‘furbabies’ that we hold close to our heart. ♥
The Lord’s concern for animal life is revealed in Luke 12:6, where he states that of the sparrows that are sold, “not one of them is forgotten before God.”
The tenth President of the Church, Joseph Fielding Smith, has also expressed concern for animal welfare. In 1928, as an apostle, he stated in a general conference of the Church: “So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls.” (Conference Report, October 1928, p. 100.) [The Gospel & Animals]
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.) [I Have A Question]
“I don’t know how many millions of dollars must be spent every year on psychotherapists to provide humankind with the self-respect and self-esteem that relationships with animals are now increasingly seen as producing. There is a growing body of evidence that pets make a difference in our lives at every age and that they have a measurable effect upon our health and well-being (see Science & Society, U.S. News and World Report, 24 February 1992, pp. 64–65). I’ve sensed this for years in my own life and just last week continued my personal mental health program by acquiring an English shepherd pup to replace our beloved collie, Wanda, who died more than a year ago of cancer. I’m noticeably happier again and know that, for me at least, heaven will not be heaven unless the animal kingdom is part of God’s kingdom.” – Marlin K. Jensen [Living After the Manner of Happiness]
