A little over a week ago, I was holding Helen’s hand as we talked softly about everything from the newly fallen snow to the blessings of having the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. In the course of our conversation, she said something that profoundly touched me. She said, “I don’t know how (people that do not have the gospel) do it”. Having the gospel in her life brought her direction and comfort, even in the face of certain death.
Today I wish to share what I believe Helen knows.
Helen was Helen long before she was born into mortality. She like all of us, is a Spirit child of our Heavenly Father. In His presence we learned and prepared for our life upon this earth. Coming to earth would allow us to grow in ways that we could not without a body. She was not born into this world by chance. In coming to earth, our spirits are united with a physical body. When the time came to leave our Heavenly Fathers presence, a veil was placed over our minds. We could no longer remember where we came from; we would need to learn to develop faith in Him. This life is a time for us to prepare to return to God, a time for us to learn to do what is right.
The challenges that we face on a daily basis can at times feel overwhelming. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow may have said it best when he penned the text of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. The third verse gives an accurate description of the world we live in. “And in despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said, For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men.”
But the next verse of the hymn brings light and comfort and hope. “God is not dead nor doth He sleep”. God has not left us alone and helpless. We have been given living prophets, find the testimonies of ancient prophets written in scripture and have been promised the Holy Ghost that will help lead us back to Him if we do what is right.
The Holy Ghost is sometimes described as a comforter. When it is present we feel peace or love or comfort. How we need that on days like today. There is a void in our hearts where there was a friend, a mother, a wife. But this is not the end Helen and it is not the end of our relationship.
We have been blessed with temples, where a man and woman can be sealed together forever, not just till death do us part. No earthly power can break that bond if that man and woman live worthy of it. Families can be forever.
Heavenly Father is real and he lives. He loves us. He knows us by name and wants us to return and live with Him. He has prepared a way for us to do so. This simple plan, called the plan of salvation, provides for us a Savior. Our Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes along our earthly journey, that our choices would frustrate our progression to eternal life. The central figure in that plan is our Savior Jesus Christ. Through the atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross, Christ would take upon Himself our sins. It allows our mistakes to be washed away. It allows us to be happy. The purpose of life is to be happy. Happiness in this life comes through righteous living.
Christ showed us the perfect way to live. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ not only brings happiness in our lives, it radiates to all of those with which we interact. Take a look around at the number of those that have gathered today. Whether we have know her for decades or years or days, Helen has touched all of us in many ways.
Our Heavenly Father also knew that our mortal bodies would die. Our spirits and our bodies will be separated. After we die, our spirits will enter the spirit world and await the resurrection and judgment. What a comfort it is to know that Helen’s spirit lives on. Through the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our bodies and our spirits will be reunited in a perfect state. All of us will live again, without sickness with our perfected bodies.
The greatest gift that God has is for us to be able to have eternal life with Him and share in all that he has. That will depend on the choices we have made in this life. An understanding of the plan of salvation gives us purpose, hope and peace.
I believe Helen found strength in these things and so can we.
In a few days we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. Gifts will be exchanged, symbolic of that gift from our Heavenly Father, that of the Savior Jesus Christ. Perhaps the greatest gift we can give to Helen, to each other, to our Savior, is that we commit ourselves to strive to become more like Jesus Christ, to be more patient, to be more caring, to be more loving, that each of us may be worthy of the blessings of eternal life.
May we hold the relationship that we have had with Helen close to our hearts until we shall be reunited with her.
I bear my witness that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live, that they love us, that all be resurrected. I know that families are eternal. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Today I wish to share what I believe Helen knows.
Helen was Helen long before she was born into mortality. She like all of us, is a Spirit child of our Heavenly Father. In His presence we learned and prepared for our life upon this earth. Coming to earth would allow us to grow in ways that we could not without a body. She was not born into this world by chance. In coming to earth, our spirits are united with a physical body. When the time came to leave our Heavenly Fathers presence, a veil was placed over our minds. We could no longer remember where we came from; we would need to learn to develop faith in Him. This life is a time for us to prepare to return to God, a time for us to learn to do what is right.
The challenges that we face on a daily basis can at times feel overwhelming. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow may have said it best when he penned the text of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. The third verse gives an accurate description of the world we live in. “And in despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said, For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men.”
But the next verse of the hymn brings light and comfort and hope. “God is not dead nor doth He sleep”. God has not left us alone and helpless. We have been given living prophets, find the testimonies of ancient prophets written in scripture and have been promised the Holy Ghost that will help lead us back to Him if we do what is right.
The Holy Ghost is sometimes described as a comforter. When it is present we feel peace or love or comfort. How we need that on days like today. There is a void in our hearts where there was a friend, a mother, a wife. But this is not the end Helen and it is not the end of our relationship.
We have been blessed with temples, where a man and woman can be sealed together forever, not just till death do us part. No earthly power can break that bond if that man and woman live worthy of it. Families can be forever.
Heavenly Father is real and he lives. He loves us. He knows us by name and wants us to return and live with Him. He has prepared a way for us to do so. This simple plan, called the plan of salvation, provides for us a Savior. Our Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes along our earthly journey, that our choices would frustrate our progression to eternal life. The central figure in that plan is our Savior Jesus Christ. Through the atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross, Christ would take upon Himself our sins. It allows our mistakes to be washed away. It allows us to be happy. The purpose of life is to be happy. Happiness in this life comes through righteous living.
Christ showed us the perfect way to live. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ not only brings happiness in our lives, it radiates to all of those with which we interact. Take a look around at the number of those that have gathered today. Whether we have know her for decades or years or days, Helen has touched all of us in many ways.
Our Heavenly Father also knew that our mortal bodies would die. Our spirits and our bodies will be separated. After we die, our spirits will enter the spirit world and await the resurrection and judgment. What a comfort it is to know that Helen’s spirit lives on. Through the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our bodies and our spirits will be reunited in a perfect state. All of us will live again, without sickness with our perfected bodies.
The greatest gift that God has is for us to be able to have eternal life with Him and share in all that he has. That will depend on the choices we have made in this life. An understanding of the plan of salvation gives us purpose, hope and peace.
I believe Helen found strength in these things and so can we.
In a few days we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. Gifts will be exchanged, symbolic of that gift from our Heavenly Father, that of the Savior Jesus Christ. Perhaps the greatest gift we can give to Helen, to each other, to our Savior, is that we commit ourselves to strive to become more like Jesus Christ, to be more patient, to be more caring, to be more loving, that each of us may be worthy of the blessings of eternal life.
May we hold the relationship that we have had with Helen close to our hearts until we shall be reunited with her.
I bear my witness that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live, that they love us, that all be resurrected. I know that families are eternal. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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