Jill - The Celestial Dog

Nineteen years ago, in the Millcroft subdivision in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, there was a very special event in the home of one of our neighbors. Their Golden Retriever was expecting a litter of puppies and the pleas of the 5 J's prevailed....we got a puppy.

In that litter, there were 6 little puppies -- one of them was very active, energtic and outgoing. One of the puppies was more reserved and seemed the perfect match for the 5 J's. One of our neighbors purchased the active puppy and we took home the puppy that the 5 J's had picked. The neighbors quickly discovered they had a dog that just wouldn't behave. They called the puppy Keena and did they ever have their work cut out for them. This dog became the trial of their lives. Keena would jump on the kitchen counter and eat the food that was being prepared, she would jump up on the kitchen table, she would sneak into rooms where she was not allowed to go and just refused to behave. Her owners soon claimed they did not have any fun with Keena and had to always keep Keena locked up in an outdoor kennel behind the house.

Jill, however was the celestial dog. She was obedient in every way. She would never do anything that family or friends told her was a "no, Jilly!" In fact if your tone of voice was too stern, she would appear dejected. Jill would come up to Mom and Dad's open bedroom door and rest her nose on an imaginary line. She knew she should never go into that room.

Jill would dive for rocks in the swimming pool, in the pond behind the house, or in Lake Ontario and actually retrieve the same stone a person would toss for her. She loved chasing slimy tennis balls and when you would pet her, she would nudge your hand gently if you stopped. Jill would wag her tail and greet every visitor that came to the home. She would not have made a good watch dog, because she would roll over to have her stomach rubbed by even a robber.

Jill had a best friend named Bordeaux (a kitten the 5 J's got at the same time that Jill was a puppy). This patient, friendly dog would let the kitten curl up with her and even try to nurse her for long periods of time.

Now, what is the difference between Jill and Keena? Jill was obedient and because of this she was happy. Keena was disobedient and was a handful. Her owners did not like to have her around. Keena was kept locked up all the time and could not have been happy.

Why was Jill called a celestial dog?

Why was Jill treated like one of the family and allowed to live in the house?

At the end of Jamie's mission, he told us about his favorite missionary scripture for extending commitments.

3 Nephi 27:20 "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."

How do we stand spotless at the last day?

Verse 21: Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do."

What is it that we must do?

A prophet of God named Howard W. Hunter once asked this question? "What was one of the most important questions ever asked of mortals by the Savior?" He then referred to this same chapter of 3 Nephi (27) and read verse 27: "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

Jesus taught us: "come follow me," "do the things ye have seen me do," "love one another," "drink of my water," "eat of my bread," and "look unto me and ye shall live," just to mention a few admonitions.

We should always ask this question of ourselves in every situation: "Lord, what would you have me do?" (Acts 9:6)

The scriptures give us the answers. It is why we take the Sacrament each week. We are to always "remember Him." (D&C 20:77,79). We are to look unto the Savior in every thought (D&C 6:36).

Remember, the most successful life is the life most closely aligned with His. What manner of men ought we to be? Even as He is.

How does this relate to the story about a celestial dog? Do you not see that "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10)?

If we are obedient, we will be happy. Jill was obedient and we called her the celestial dog. If we are disobedient then we will not be happy. Keena was not obedient and was not happy. She was kept locked up.