It has been several months since dad's passing and it is still difficult to cope with. I miss him and think about him everyday. He is examplary to me on how to live an honorable life. My thoughts of him motivate me to live better and to work hard. The sealing that took place in the Oakland temple between mom and dad is eternal and binds all of us together as an eternal family. That sealing will not be broken. Dad will always be our father, and mom will be with him eternally. These truths have been verified to me by the whisperings of the Holy Ghost and therefore I have no doubt. I also have no doubt that dad is in a well deserved state of rest. He is experiencing peace. He is preaching the gospel to those in spirit prison. Knowing how effective he was as a missionary in Germany I have no doubt that he is effective in the spirit world. He is unlocking the keys of salvation for many on the other side. I also know that he watches over mom and each of us his children. He possesses an eternal interest in mom and all of us. He is close and continually guides us. These things I know.
Don't ever become discouraged. Don't lose faith. Life is hard sometimes but we are given sufficient strength to overcome our individual challenges and hardships. I remember when Brent had his heartattack and the family held a church service near the hospital. At the service dad quoted a scripture which I believe was one of his favorites, it is in first corinthians 13: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." That beautiful scripture captures dads deep understanding of the plan of salvation and his faith. We need to remember his faith and follow his example.
During my freshman year of college at BYU-I dad came to a concert which my choir was performing at. It was actually at the music and the spoken word. We sang a rather obscure song from the hymn book called "oh what songs of the heart." Dad said it was a beautiful song. Let us take comfort in the words of this song and always retain a hope in our hearts of a reuniting with our loving dad: "Oh, what songs of the heart We shall sing all the day,
When again we assemble at home,
When we meet ne'er to part With the blest o'er the way,
There no more from our loved ones to roam!
When we meet ne'er to part, Oh, what songs of the heart We shall sing in our beautiful home.
Tho our rapture and bliss There's no song can express,
Tho our rapture and bliss There's no song can express,
We will shout, we will sing o'er and o'er,
As we greet with a kiss, And with joy we caress All our loved ones that passed on before;
As we greet with a kiss, In our rapture and bliss, All our love ones that passed on before."
Don't forget the faith of our dad and may we be strengthened to follow in his footsteps.
love,
jon
5 comments:
What lovely thoughts Jon. I appreciated your words. Sometimes its hard to see through the darkness but there is always hope. I'm glad you feel that way, I pray for my siblings daily and hope that you all are being comforted. This makes me feel like you are. Thanks!
jon, very nice. thanks for expressing your feelings. i also think of dad everyday. i drive by his "grave/shrine" several times a day. i know that he is looking out for me. i have felt a burden lifted off me, i no longer feel the heavy sadness as i used to. i think that satan or his followers were constantly tempting me to be sad and hopeless. every since dad died, i know that he has protected me against these spirits that were tempting me to give into my sadness. i know this sounds looney, but it is true and i know that this has happened. i feel much more light, hope and faith since dad died. i know that he is keeping satans followers away from me and my heart...
"5-Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work."
"24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."
I miss dad, i am sad that mom feels overwhelmed or sad on some days. i wish she could be unburdened. i still think that is unfair that he needed to go, but i am also thankful that he is helping me.
i miss you all and hope everyone moves to kennewick one day;) i love you all and hope you can feel peace
beautiful comments makes me a very i'm humbled and extremely grateful uncle and brother in law. your father was perhaps my best friend, certainly he understood me, lifted me, and made me feel better than i really am. your mother is an inspiration and wonderful person. the Savior loves her and knows her heart and sadness. she is strong and will have decades of happy years with such caring children and grandchildren.
uncle tom
Jon, thanks for the uplifting message. I spent the last week in solitude out on the ocean and touring around pristine caribbean beaches. I enjoyed the time to slow down and contemplate many things including the plan of salvation. My thoughts were with dad during every sunset I saw. I am grateful for his daily involvement in our lives both before and after his passing to the next life.
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