Doug Tales 81: Traveling, Part One

Years ago, Doug Mendenhall was introduced to the concept of one’s spirit being able to travel while a person’s physical body is sleeping (and at other times). He describes learning about such traveling and much more in My Peace I Give Unto You (2001), pp. 105-107:

“What do you mean you travel?” I asked in disbelief.

Four days ago my life had completely changed. My ten-year-old daughter had told me she could see the spirit world like I could see this world. Even though Denise wouldn’t answer every question I put to her, she answered enough to create a hurricane within my soul. Question after question either confirmed or denied things that I had long held to be true.

She created shifts in my whole system of beliefs. My views of death and our existence here were changing. My experience with the oneness while Denise was in the hospital had opened me up and I was now being filled.

“I leave and go wherever I want to.” She replied.

“Anywhere?”

“Yes.” She smiled.

She knew my next question. Since telling me about the spirit world I realized that she could tell what I was thinking. This bothered me at first until I realized she didn’t do it very often. In fact, she seemed to do it only when I was asking her questions or while we were playing games.

“I went to see my brother in Honduras last night.”

She couldn’t say Honduras yet, but she sure tried.

“You saw your brother last night?”

This was starting to become a fantasy trip. I believed the fantastic things she told me, I just couldn’t understand why.

“Yeah, and he’s okay.”

“Can you go across the ocean?”

“Duh, I can go anywhere I want.”

“Does anybody go with you?”

I secretly wanted to have the experience she was describing. To fly anywhere in the world under my own power was a childhood fantasy.

“Sometimes my teachers.”

“Teachers? What teachers?”

It seemed that every answer she gave invited two more questions I hadn’t thought of until her answer.

“ . . .God’s men.” There was frustration on her face. She went over to a child’s Bible and opened it to the pictures of ancient prophets. “These guys.”

“You mean prophets? You are taught by ancient prophets?” I was dazed.

She hesitated for just an instant. “Yeah, those guys. Sometimes they come to teach me things or take me places.”

Through our entire conversation, she would often look past my left shoulder after my question as if she was being coached by someone. It felt like she was just relaying answers to me from an anonymous person.

“Who are you talking to?” I looked over my shoulder as if I could see someone I couldn’t identify.

“Christ.”

I was dumbfounded. No other answer could have left me more speechless. I believed my little girl! If she said that my Savior was standing next to me, I knew He was. I closed my eyes and said a little prayer of gratitude and felt a heat to my left.

“Is He,” I pointed to where I felt the heat, “giving you all the answers?”

“Not all of them.”

“Does He . . . take you and teach you?”

“Sometimes.”

My Savior was in the same room with me. My heart leapt for joy. Then I thought of my sins. I wasn’t worthy to be in His presence.

Denise giggled at my reaction. “Daddy, it’s okay, you don’t have to be perfect. He loves you anyway.” She read my heart and I knew she was right. Worthiness was not the question, faith was. I smiled; I wanted to know Him.

“What does He look like? . . . Does He look like that?”

I pointed to a picture of the Savior hanging in the living room.

“No, more like . . .” she went to the hallway and removed a picture, “this, this is what He looks like, except He smiles a lot more.”

I sat staring at the picture. It was as if I was introduced to Him for the first time. In an instant He became more than a being out there somewhere, a concept or a symbol. He became tangible to me, I felt I knew His face. I felt an incredible love for Him.

“Will He let you tell me about traveling?” Denise became my interpreter. I looked at her but knew I was talking to Him.

“Yes.”

“Will He let you take me traveling?”

“Yes, He said that I can take you with me tonight if you want to go, but you won’t remember it.” She smiled. She knew exactly what I wanted.

I looked to my left where I still felt the heat and silently thanked Him for understanding and loving me.