My friend called me this evening with some very sad news. Her friend, who is only 29 years old, stopped breathing last night. They took him to the hospital where they put him on life support. They have determined that he is brain dead and they will be taking him off life support in the morning.
When you hear news like this, even when you don’t know the person well (or at all) it shocks and saddens you. He has a wife and 2 small children. I can’t imagine what they must be going through. As soon as I heard this, all I could think was, if only they knew, if only they had the comfort of the gospel. I know things are still hard when you do have the gospel, but we have something that so many do not. We have a knowledge of the happiness to come.
I feel the tragedy in this, is how his wife (and family) feel right now. For her it is over. She feels lost and alone. Her sadness is overwhelming. This is heartbreaking.
BUT This has opened my eyes a bit, when I hung up the phone, my children and I got on our knees, we prayed that they would be comforted and we thanked Heavenly Father for the true and everlasting Gospel. How lucky we are to have something so amazing and so wonderful. I wish I could give this knowledge to those who need it, but I can’t, so I have decided to share it every chance I get, and not hold back. There are so many people who are lost and sad and alone, and they need what we have! I will listen to that still small voice, I will never again miss any opportunities to share with someone the amazing gift I have been given!
****** side note*****
I am new here so I will tell you a little bit about where I am coming from.
I come from a “hellfire” upbringing. My husband and I joined the church 2 1/2 years ago. We live in the South, and there are not a whole lot of members here. My husband is in Iraq (as a contractor) and we have 2 kids. The Gospel is the best thing that has EVER happened to us. I could never begin to express how much it has changed my family. We have a peace and happiness that I never thought possible. It is times like these (the above story) that I am reminded of how special and amazing the gospel is. 🙂
Stephanie, thanks for this wonderful reminder, especially on a Sabbath day.
Great post, Stephanie. The other night I was outside my friend’s house when an elderly gentleman drove up in his car and asked me for help finding an address. I helped him find the address on the map and gave him directions on how to get there. After he drove off, I realized that I failed to invite him to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple. I hope to do a better job next time of being a good neighbor and a good member missionary.
Stephanie, I saw the contrast last week at a funeral service in our meetinghouse. The deceased’s non-member relatives wailed and looked utterly broken, while his LDS relatives all wore poignant, serene smiles. A dramatic example of what the Gospel can do if there ever was one.
David T, good point. I remember very clearly going to a funeral of a great-aunt when I was a nonmember and not yet baptized. Afterwards, there was a reception, and everybody was happy and cheery. My grandmother said: “hey, we Mormons have funerals that are like Irish wakes but without the beer and whiskey!” How true. No reason to grieve — we will see our loved ones again.
It certainly is shocking when something like this happens and always brings new perspective to life. Regarding the comments on Mormon funerals, I think that’s awesome. I haven’t been to one yet that I can think of, but I am reminded of something a friend recently told me. I mentioned that I am not afraid of dying. He then stated, “I don’t think many members are.” Cool. I never noticed that, especially since I live in an area with not a lot of members.
I have a classmate who is the funeral director in the town in New Jersey where I was raised. He commented on how the few LDS funerals he has conducted seem to engender “a re-union” atmosphere. I explained to him our beliefs in “families are forever”, and he completely understood.
I remember when the bishop’s father passed, and I went to the viewing at a funeral home. It was like a stake reunion.
I went to another funeral of an older friend’s son-in-law. My friend introduced me around like he was trying to match me up with people.
Stephanie: you’re right. A lot of people, our friends and acquaintances, are going to scold us in the spirit world or in the millennium. I think they might just grab us by the (spirit) shoulders and shake us and demand "Why didn’t you tell me? I thought you were my friend!"