“Hidden” by Jesús Baldemar Liévano

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Hidden

by Jesús Baldemar Liévano

“Eight. Nine. Ten! Ready or not, here I come!

While Heber loudly counts down, I run to find a hiding place, just as we have done so many times since we arrived in Kirtland.

I’m an expert at hide-and-seek; even though I’m only seven years old, I can beat all the other children, even the oldest ones—even the twelve-year-olds!—because I don’t make any noise and I can hide myself in spaces where no one else can fit.

Everyone has been working on the temple here in Kirtland. Since Papa is a carpenter, he made some of the benches. Sometimes I bring him the lunch that Mama makes, and sometimes I stay near the temple with him and play with the other children.

Hide-and-seek is my favorite game. I slip through the streets unseen, remaining completely silent while I look for a good hiding spot. This is how I beat everyone else. This is also why Heber told me today that he is tired of losing to me. He said that today he would find me, so I need to find another place to hide. The problem is that there are hardly any new hiding spots left. We have already used most of the city: all the yards from all the houses, all the lanes, all the trees and bushes. Everyone has used one of these places at least once as a hiding place, and if I can’t find something soon, I will lose the game and Heber will spend the afternoon teasing me.

While I’m running to find a hiding place, I see the newly finished temple. It is beautiful. It also stands alone, no longer surrounded by workers and their tools; Papa has collected his things and Heber’s father, a stone mason, isn’t there anymore either. Everything is clean and orderly.

Just two days ago there was a large gathering in the temple. Mama said that Brother Joseph offered a very long prayer, and from our house I could see something flying above the roof. Everyone is so happy about the temple, but now I can’t hide like I used to.

I walk around the temple, trying to find some little nook where I can hide myself. I remember a small door I used to use to bring Papa his lunch. It is open. I’m sure that Heber won’t be able to find me inside. If no one finds me, then I will be the uncontested winner and the champion of champions in the entire history of hide-and-seek in Kirtland.

What a beautiful place! It is so calm and peaceful. I walk through the hallways and remember how it felt when my grandmother used to sit with me on her lap and sing to me on rainy afternoons. I carefully walk down a long corridor looking for the best place to hide.

Now I am entering a large room, but there are people here. In the distance I can see Brother Joseph praying on his knees, next to Brother Cowdery. I can’t hear what they are saying so I stay where I am, observing in silence.

That’s when we hear the voice—a soft but clear voice. It seems to come from everywhere, but it doesn’t scare me. Instead, it makes me feel happy: “I am the first and the last; I am He who liveth; I am He who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father…”

I can see Him! There He is, above the railing of the pulpit, speaking with Brother Joseph and Brother Cowdery. I don’t fully understand everything that He tells them, but I know that He knows that I am there. Then, for a moment, I feel His gaze, raise my eyes, and we look at each other intently. Then He smiles at me and I feel so happy I could cry.

Suddenly, almost without realizing it, I am walking out the door that I came in. I silently shut it and sit with my back against the wall of the temple. And that’s when I hear Heber’s shout.

“There you are Mary Ann! You see? I told you that I would find you and you wouldn’t be the last.”

This piece was published in 2025 as part of the 14th Annual Lit Blitz by the Mormon Lit Lab. Sign up for our newsletter for future updates.