A Somber Anniversary

This day every year gives me pause. In 1968, I was a little girl and I got up in the morning to tell my daddy good-bye before he left for work. That was the last time I ever saw him. He died later that night on a dark, lonely road near Simi Valley, CA. His funeral was on December 24th. That event, of course, changed my life forever.

I often wonder what might have been. Would we have stayed in Santa Barbara? Would my parents have had more children? Would they both still be alive today enjoying their grandchildren? Would I have found the gospel?

I don't know the answers to these questions. What I do know is that I have the gospel in my life. I feel so blessed each day to know that my Redeemer lives, and because He lives, so does my father. And my mother. My grandparents. Friends. I may not be able to see those that I've loved and lost with my mortal eyes, but they are not far from me. Some days, I've felt them so close I could almost reach out and touch them.

As I consider the tragic events as of late, especially at Sandy Hook Elementary School, my heart aches for all those who have lost loved ones to such violent acts. But I know that they can be reunited one day. I know that their loved ones are not gone forever. Because the Savior lives, so do their precious loved ones. And through the Savior, they can find some peace and some comfort.

I will never stop missing my father, or my family members that have died. There will always be a hole in my heart for each one, but I can feel comfort knowing that they are in a better place and that the bonds of family do not end with death. I don't think you ever get over losing a loved one, but with time you learn to live with it.

The Savior said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

May we all find some peace and comfort, especially those in Connecticut.

Peace Amidst the Wickedness of the World

We talked about signs of the times yesterday in Sunday school and whether we should be worried and fearful of what is yet to come before the Savior reigns once more.

The world continues to embrace wickedness. We hear rumors of legislation that threatens our freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We're constantly bombarded with the worldly message that evil is good and good is evil. Wars continue to rage, morals decline, and righteousness is degraded through all mediums.

While we may get caught up in worrying about all that's happening in the world, it's best to focus on our own individual lives and our families and make sure we are living the gospel so that no matter when the Savior comes again, we will be ready. And, while we wait for His coming, we can still find peace and happiness in mortality.



True peace, joy, and happiness comes through living the gospel and following the Savior Jesus Christ.

There simply is no other way.

Peace

I have been accused of not knowing what makes people happy. I have been told that happiness is relative and what makes one person happy doesn’t necessarily make another happy. I absolutely believe that true happiness only comes through living the gospel and keeping the commandments. Over the course of my life (a very long one according to my children), I’ve learned a simple truth: keeping the commandments makes me happy and breaking the commandments makes me sad. I’ve experimented enough to know this is true.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that happiness is relative. After all, Satan is the great imitator and perhaps he can mimic happiness so effectively that it’s difficult to discern that some “happy” feelings are actually coming from Satan in his attempt to mislead us.

How do we know if we’re truly happy or merely lulled into thinking so? Perhaps, we need to consider our happiness as it relates to peace. In 1 Nephi 20:22 it says, “ . . . there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.” I think that sums it up.
Peace cannot come to those who are breaking the commandments. Maybe they are “happy” in their own definition of the term, but peace escapes those who choose to defy God and his laws.

A difference exists between satisfaction/pleasure/enjoyment and joy/peace. Imagine an enormous hot fudge sundae. Several of your favorite ice cream scoops swim in decadent hot fudge topped with whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry. As each bite glides across your tongue and slides down your throat your pleasure and enjoyment increase.

Now compare that to walking into the temple. As soon as you enter the front door, you can feel the peace. Sitting in the celestial room, you feel wrapped in love. Joy washes over you like a gentle wave while a calm that’s hard to duplicate outside of the temple settles on you. Do you feel the same way you did when you ate the hot fudge sundae?

One brings you pleasure and satisfaction, both superficial feelings. The other brings you a deep, soul-satisfying, spirit-quenching peace—a feeling that Satan cannot duplicate.

I’ve been asked if I’m always happy. Truthfully, I’ve experienced trials in my life, as has everyone. And, yes, I felt sadness when my sister-in-law passed away from cancer last year. However, through all the trials, I have still felt peace. I have felt that though the grief was immeasurable at times I’d get through it because the peace of the gospel never left me.

So, perhaps, I am wrong in my assessment of what determines happiness, but I am certain I’m not wrong when it comes to feeling the kind of peace that only the Savior can give us. Not the peace of the world, but the peace of God. And with that peace comes a happiness that cannot be replicated by Satan or any other worldly source. It is a peace that ignites my spirit and lights my soul. It’s the peace that comes from the gospel and a peace that I strive to have in my life, even during times of trial. It is a peace that’s worth every effort to obtain.

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What the Savior's Birth Means to Me

On December 19, 1968 I awoke early and told my father goodbye as he left for work. I even rushed to my bedroom window to watch his car leave our cul-de-sac and drive along the road out of our subdivision. I didn't usually wake up early to see my father off, but I did that day.

My mother took my baby sister and me Christmas shopping. We ended up at my grandmother's house later that day to spend the night. Long after we'd gone to bed, I was awakened by the ringing of the telephone. Though I was quite young, I realized that the late-night phone call meant my life would never be the same. My father's mortal existence had ended in a mangled heap of a car on a dark, unlit road. He was such a young man filled with so much life and vitality. He'd hardly had a chance to live. He had a promising career, a beautiful wife, and two young daughters. His funeral was on Christmas Eve.

Every year I think about my father and his short life. I think of what could have been and, of course, I wish this story had a different ending. But, I also find great hope and comfort as I celebrate the birth of the Savior. Because Jesus was born into mortality, willingly chose to lay down his life, and was then resurrected, so too will my father (and my mother, my grandparents, my father-in-law, other family members, and my friends) be resurrected. The birth and life of the Savior means that I will someday be reunited with my father and all of those I've loved and lost.

The Savior's birth makes it possible for me to someday have the family I didn't have in mortality. Yes, it's been hard not having my parents. Yes, it makes me sad that they both died before they could see and know my children in mortality. Yes, I've often wished to build a time machine to go back and know my parents. But, in the eternal scheme of things, time is only relative. The significance of the birth of Jesus transcends time and heals the aching heart.

His birth means that I can have an eternal family and that brings me incredible peace and joy.