Paradox like an Egyptian

I decided to take Liz's advice and start with Hugh Nibley. Abraham in Egypt has been sitting on my shelf for some time now, and I brought it back from Utah with me with full purpose to read it. I began today, and while I don't have much of a page count to show for a full day's effort, I'm diligently working my way through the information in attempts to take in as much as possible. The longer I read it, the more I understand what it is that I'm seeing, but I'm SO grateful when after a full paragraph of technical and factual jargon he says things like, "In other words, we are dealing in the apocryphal books of Abraham with Abraham's endowment as conveyed in an Egyptian idiom."

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY!

I cannot easily explain what it means to me to be reading this book, and to have important and pertinent pieces of Egyptian lore come to my mind that I literally have not looked at since I was 11 or 12 years old. The joy that I feel to have that fixation from my early years FINALLY put into perspective... and the implications of that fixation now that I see it in hindsight. It gives me chills to think about how much of my life I dedicated to the study of Ancient Egyptian antiquity, and how relevant it is to my life now, and to my future. And for this knowledge to bring me to a greater understanding of Abraham, who is one of my favorite people in the scriptures because of everything I understand about his life. It's one of those moments in my life where I get to sit here and bask in the marvelous joy that comes from sharing in the divine Spirit of knowledge and truth, to be learning and progressing on this sojourn of becoming a sanctified daughter--worthy of an infinite, eternal inheritance.

This, I imagine, is what heaven must be like. The joy of discovery as we reunite with our spirit's memories of who we were before we came into this mortal existence, exercising talents and sharing knowledge with people we don't even remember anymore--telling them stories about our lives and introducing them to everyone we knew in life. The more I think about it, the more I realize it will be a marvelous day of seemingly endless rejoicing!

All I can say is, I hope with all my heart that I make it there to feel it. The very thought of disappointing my Heavenly Father and not being allowed to partake of that joy brings an inexpressable, yet deep sadness to me that is too bitter and lonely for words.

From what I've seen of Nibley's research so far into the relationship of the Book of Abraham and the Egyptians, this personal anecdote of mine is one that would resonate very well with the Egyptians--more than most Latter-day Saints probably would think. The extent of the Egyptian's relationship with the Gospel is what I'm eager to explore, and this book promises more of just that. It'll be pretty slow going to keep up with the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and now this book, but I can't say I regret the powerful experiences I've recently had because of such immersion in both study and faith.

Such great treasure as I had never begun to imagine... as priceless as those pyramids beneath the desert sun that remain a mystery to all who look upon them--except to those all-seeing eyes that reveal such mysteries to the children of men in the silence of the evening lights.

This is my heritage, and with any luck, my legacy.