Eternal Perspective

I originally posted this on Facebook this afternoon, but thought I would share it here as well.

My family just came home a little while ago from the memorial service for a phenomenal woman -- Myrna Pratt. She was an example of unwavering faith and Christlike love to everyone around her. She was the type of woman I want to be. I had the priviledge of living in the Cholla/Moon Valley ward with her and her dear husband Wayne for many years, of teaching her youngest daughter in Young Women's, and getting to be friends with her daughter Pam. All you have to do is look at the wonderful people that her children are to get a glimpse at the type of person she is. Her children paid a beautiful tribute to her today in the songs and words that they shared about their beloved mother. She is such a bright spirit that I believe even those who saw her infrequently or only knew her as an acquaintance will feel the loss of her light.

But isn't it wonderful to know that she is not really gone?! What a blessing it is to know the restored gospel of Jesus Christ...to know that she and all our loved ones, though no longer visible to us, live on in another sphere. To know that she was greeted by the loving, open arms of family that had gone before her...and that she in turn will be waiting to meet her own beautiful family again....That none of us will walk into the next portion of our journey alone, but will be guided and greeted by family and friends.

I had the great blessing of spending time with my Grandma Ann in the weeks leading up to her death, and being with her when she passed....and I KNOW that her family, especially her children that had preceded her, started gathering to comfort and ease that transition for her. As the veil grew thinner she would see them...and speak with them. What a comfort it was to me to know that they were there for her.

I am so grateful for my testimony of the gospel...for an eternal perspective, that helps to ease the loss of family and friends, because I know the loss of their company is only temporary. Our loving Heavenly Father, with our beloved older brother Jesus Christ, has prepared a way for us all to be together again, to spend eternity as families, in the company of those we love most.