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Foreword, 11 Introduction, 13 A Marvelous Experience, 13 Why This Book?, 14 How the Research was Conducted,16 How this Book is Organized,19
Part I—The Experiences
1. A Hunter and a German Soldier, 23 Derald Evans—Hunting for Bighorn Sheep, 23 Struggling to the Truck, 24 Life or Death—An Argument, 25 Returning Home—After-effects, 27 Karl P. Muecke—Early Life in Germany, 28 A Medical Operation with Complications, 30 The Colorful Spirit World, 31 Instructed by a Voice, 31 Afterthoughts, 32
2. A Critical Care Nurse, 33 Janet McClellan—Identified from Another World, 33 A Spirit Guide, 36 An Atheist Changes His Mind, 37 Other Experiences and a Personal Perspective, 38
3. Unusual Healings, 41 Ruth—Some Near-Fatal Medication, 41 A Tunnel and Beings of Light, 42 Lung Problems and a Healing, 43 DeAnne Anderson Shelley—A Remarkable Woman, 44 Walking Away From a Wheelchair, 46 Lois Clark—A Car Crash, 47 A Bright Light, Forms, and Beautiful Music, 48 Breast Cancer and a Remarkable Healing, 50
4. A Majestic Being, 52 Ann—A Child with Leukemia, 52 A Beautiful Lady of Light and a New World,53 Spinal Meningitis and a Wonderful Experience, 55 A Beautiful Man, 56 Return to This Life, 57 Lucy—A Jewish Background, 59 Hit by an Automobile—Return from Death, 60 A Prayer for Help, 61 A View of the Savior, 62 Leg that Wasn't Removed, 63
5. Fear Not Death, 64 Jennette—Heart Operation, 64 A Bright Light and a Marvelous Being, 66 A New Direction, 67 Pauline—A Swimming Accident, 68 An Out-of-Body Experience, 70
6. A Strange Journey, 72 Forrest Hansen, 72 A Childhood Illness, 72 A Journey to the Stars, 73 A Being of Light, 75 A Giant Geometric Shape in Space, 76 A Tunnel and Images of the Past, 77 Thoughts About the Experiences, 77 7. The Importance of Children, 80 Bob Amodt, 80 Bob's Experience, 80 Margaret Amodt—Her Children Ran Through Her, 82 Norma—Watched Her Baby Delivered from Out-of-Body, 84 Amanda and Jonathan—Special Children, 86 Choosing a Church, 88 Kerry—A Mountain Fall, 89 8. A Vietnam Experience, 91 David Herard—Background and Initial Combat, 91 Second Tour in Vietnam, 93 A Different World with People Dressed in White, 95 No Pain, Just Knowledge and Love, 97 Life After the Experience, 98
9. Young People, 100 Chris Walker—A College Student, 100 A Bicycle Crash, 100 A Second Out-of-Body Experience, 101 A River Accident, 103 Thoughts About Death and Life, 103 Kim—A High School Student, 104 A Lady in White, 104 James Niitsuma—An Artist, 105 Viewing His Body—A Life's Review, 106 Return to Life and a Poem, 107 Nyk Fry—A Musician, 108 A Decision and a Strange Experience, 109 A Motorcycle Accident, 110 Thoughts on Freedom of Choice, 111
10. Two Young Women, 112 Elizabeth Vorwaller—A Car Crash, 112 A Personage in White Clothing, 112 Stephanie LaRue—Early Memories, 114 Illness and an Operation, 115 Out-of-Body—Complete Knowledge, 116 In and Out of Body, 117 Feelings of Love, Wholeness, and Power, 117 Coming Back—Subsequent Experiences, 118 11. Family Ties, 120 Joy Melvin, 120 Visit by a Deceased Grandmother, 120 Agony Over Deaths of Husband, Brother, and Father, 121 Out-of-Body in a Colorful World, 122 A Reunion with Deceased Relatives, 122 Further Thoughts About the Experience, 123 Marcia Anderson—A Young Mother, 125 Carbon-Monoxide in the House, 126 Out-of-Body—A Decision, 126 Recovery, 127 Visitors—Beings of Light, 128
12. Diverse Experiences, 130 Joanne Jones—A Bleeding Ulcer, 130 Out-of-Body in a Beautiful Place, 131 A Wonderful Face, 131 Other Impressions About the Experience, 132 Jackie—A Stopped Heart, 133 Watching the Doctor Explain Her Death, 134 Further Examination of the Experience, 134 A Friend Commits Suicide, 135 Ray Berg—A Life's Review, 136 Doris—Problems in the Navy, 137 Looking Down on a Body Which Continues to Walk, 138
13. A Suicide Attempt, 140 Katrina—A Terrible Childhood Experience, 140 As a Young Adult, 141 Fear for Children, 142 Help from Therapy—Then Disaster, 143 Attempted Suicide, 145 A Marvelous Experience and a Message, 145 Return—A New Understanding of Life, 147 A Final Review of Katrina's Experience, 148
14. Chased by an Evil Spirit, 150 Dee—A Bad Marriage, 150 An Out-of-Body Trip to a Friend, 151 A Second Bad Marriage, 152 Emotional Trauma—Then Out-of-Body, 153 An Evil Spirit, 154 Return to Her Body, 156 Other Thoughts About the Experiences, 156 Feelings of Terror in Second Experience, 157
15. People Meeting People, 158 Tracie—Diabetic Coma, 158 Blackness, Light, and People, 158 Further Review of Tracie's Experience, 160 Maureen Daniels—Paroxysmal Hemicrania, 163 Feelings of Love—A Visit by Deceased Grandparents, 164 Final Thoughts About Maureen's Experience, 164 Shirley James—A Helping Person, 166 Emotional Trauma and a Visit by Deceased Relatives, 167 Additional Analysis of Shirley's Experience, 168
16. On Trial for Their Lives, 170 Kathleen Pratt Martinez—A Birth Emergency, 170 Deceased Relatives Conduct a Trial, 170 Questions and Responses, 172 Purposes of Return—A Vision, 174 Final Thoughts About Kathleen's Experience, 175 Jean—Illness; Then a World of Knowledge, 176 A Courtroom and a Trial, 177 Questions and Responses, 178 Recognition of People—Other Experiences, 179
17. A Life's Review Midst the Stars, 181 John Stirling—A Fascinating Man, 181 A Personal Crisis and a Motorcycle Accident, 181 Out-of-Body in the Stars, 183 Return, 184 Further Analysis of John's Experience, 185 The Life's Review, 186 Other Thoughts, 187 Physical Recovery, 188 A Final Message, 189
18. Personal Revelation, 191 Gary Gillum—Studying for the Ministry, 191 An Automobile Trip and an Accident, 192 A Colorful Place of Light and a Choice, 193 Interrogation About Experience, 194 A Vision of the Future, 194 Finding the Gospel, 195 Visit to a Mormon Temple, 196 Sustained by Personal Revelation, 197 Joe Swick—Hit by a Car, 197 A Light, Love, and a Message, 198 Further Review of Joe's, 198 LDS Missionaries, 199 A Vision of Light—A New Church, 201
Part ll—The Meaning
19. The Light, 205 Descriptions of the Light, 205 Scriptural References to the Light, 206 Beings of Light, 207 Scriptural Comparisons with NDE Accounts of Beings of Light, 208 Sublime Feelings, 211 The Meaning of the Light, 213
20. Life's Purpose, 214 Why They Came Back, 214 Do They Have a Choice of Life or Death?, 215 Knowledge, 217 The Plan of Salvation, 219 Comparison with Elements of Plan of Salvation, 221 Life's Purpose from Plan of Salvation, 223 21. Spirit Bodies and Physical Bodies, 225 In or Out of the Body?, 225 What is the Spirit Body Like?, 226 LDS Teachings About a Spirit Body, 230 Some Observations Concerning the Spirit, 233 We Are Children of our Father in Heaven, 237
22. The Other World, 238 What They Saw and Heard, 238 Even Stranger Experiences, 241 LDS Teachings About the Spirit World, 244 Some Postulations, 248 The Fate of Righteous Individuals Who Die, 250 23. Evil Spirits, 251 The NDE Accounts, 25 LDS Teachings and Scriptures, 256 Further Thoughts on Hell, 259 Key Scriptural Messages, 262
24. The Power of God, 264 Some Strange Patterns, 264 Words, 265 Healings—and Suffering, 267 A Pattern of Healing—For a Purpose, 269 The Importance of Families, 270 Ordinances Which Tie Families Together, 272 Summary, 276
25. Judgment and Revelation, 278 Introduction, 278 A Life's Review, 278 Other Types of Judgment, 282 The Experiences Measured Against LDS Teachings, 283 Personal Revelation and Testimony, 286
26. Deity, 289 A Personage of Love, 289 A Personage of Light and Beauty, 289 Scriptural Descriptions of Christ, 292 Later Accounts of Christ’s Appearance, 294 Other Accounts of Jesus, 296 The Characteristics of Deity, 297 Lucy's Testimony About God, 299
27. Human Destiny, 300 Different Views of Human Destiny, 300 A Destiny of Extinction?, 300 Reincarnation?, 302 Why the Continued Reincarnation Interest?, 304 A Celestial Kingdom, 306 Final Thoughts, 309
Notes, 314 Selected Bibliography, 321 Index, 324
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