30. The Living Water

CHAPTER 30

THE LIVING WATER

The woman is wearing a flowing white dress to her ankles.  Her feet are bare.  She has long, straight black hair that hangs midway down her back.  Her skin is light.  Her eyes are beautiful, but sad.

“Give me to drink,” says Nephi.

The woman answers him.  “How is it that thou, a stranger, askest drink of me?  I am a woman of Samaria.  Strangers like you have no dealings with us Samaritans.”

“Yet I am traveling with a Samaritan,” explains Nephi, “who saved my life and provides me with water in the desert.”

The woman is choosy about who can use the water from the well.  “But, sir, you are alone here.  And thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then wilt thou get more water?  This well was given to us by father Jacob.  It is for his children, and his cattle.”

Nephi tells her, “I am on a mission seeking the source of living water.  Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I seek shall never thirst; but the water that I seek shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The woman says to Nephi, “I would also seek such water.  Sir, where would I find this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw?”

Nephi says to her, “Go, call thy husband, and come hither.”

The woman answers and says, “I have no husband.  I did have a husband.  But now I am dead.”

Then Nephi says unto her, “Thou hast not spoken truly, I have no husband.  For thou truly hast a husband who misses you, and loves you.”

The woman says to Nephi, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.  I know that the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ.  When He is come, He will tell me how to find my husband again.”

The woman turns her back to Nephi and stands by the well, weeping.

Nephi looks upon her and says, “Woman, why weepest thou?  I that speak unto thee am he.  I am still your husband.”

She turns back around towards Nephi and the sadness in her eyes is immediately replaced with joy.  She throws both of her arms up high over her head in excitement.

“Nephi!!  My dearly beloved!  You are coming for me!  I do have a husband for time and all eternity!”  She reaches out for Nephi but he stops her before she can embrace him.

“Hold me not,” says Nephi, “for I have not yet finished my mission.  But soon I ascend to my Father, and to thy Father, and to thee.”

“I will be waiting,” says the lovely, happy woman with shining eyes.