But, having been scolded by Ardis (“Nothing will come of nothing” indeed), I’ll add my thanks to Amy and to Ardis for this wonderful post. Surely the fire and the light in the story weren’t really free–they were gifts purchased at a price by the Sylvesters and given freely to the travelers on that desolate road–but so too the “fire and light” that a simple, yet beautiful, story like this brings into an otherwise bleak day in this little online community. Free to us readers indeed, but purchased at a price by those who brought the story to light.

Thanks again, Amy and Ardis.

This is the kind of post I had in mind when I started Keepa, the kind of post I am able to write all too seldom these days:

* It honors individual Latter-day Saints by recognizing them for doing extraordinarily good things simply by doing what they should have done under the circumstances.

* It introduces us to Latter-day Saints that virtually none of us would have known otherwise.

* It is a story that would have gone untold except for the fact that its teller had a “wait a minute …” moment, realizing that the simple words “the fire and light was always free” shouldn’t be taken at face value, that they concealed as much as they told.

* It is beautifully written, filling us in on the background we need, letting the characters speak in their own words, and showing us their deeds (in contrast to just telling us they performed good deeds).

* It ends on a high note. Rebecca’s preparations for those who would come after remind me of those tales, whether folk legend or historical fact I do not know, of the women of Nauvoo sweeping their floors before closing their doors for the last time, leaving perfectly orderly homes to be taken over by those who had driven them out. In any case, Rebecca’s last actions in connection with this story prove the absolute sincerity of her longstanding hospitality.

As painful as it has been to claim certain people as my brothers and sisters this week, even more joyful is it to be able to claim Rebecca and her family as my sisters and brothers.

Thank you, Amy.

By the way, another phrase in the post really piqued my interest: “we used to say that the Hotel Keeper took the money while father took the gratatude [sic] and blessings of the people.”
I’ve often heard people say, when giving service, that they’re doing it because they “need the blessings.” And I take them to mean that they need the blessings from God; kind of like the phrase “earning jewels in one’s crown.” So, I was intrigued when I read that they’d say that they took the gratitude and blessings “of the people.” So, there’s a nod that any return might be coming from the people (and then likely only in the form of gratitude). For some reason, I like that better. To me, it’s doing good deeds not as a way to amass heavenly rewards, but in a simple, Golden Rule way. Love it.