This funeral home has possibly one of the best names I've ever seen: Amigone. Many people who go there for the loss of a lost one may wonder that same questions, "Are they gone?" Speculation about life after death is something that I believe everyone thinks about at some point in their life. Sometimes the death of someone close or one's own personal illness can prompt these kinds of thoughts and feelings. One of the reasons why I love the Bible and Book of Mormon is because they teach me about this life and the life to come. By reading the words of prophets of old, I am able to more clearly understand God's plan for me and what I should do in this life as well as after I die. One of the biggest things I learned is that life is not the end, it is merely another step in our Heavenly Father's plan. Just as Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, we will also receive perfect resurrected bodies after we die. The sacrifice of Christ allowed all men to be saved from death and be raised to immortality. In addition to conquering this physical death, Jesus also allowed us to overcome our own weaknesses and return to God once more. By keeping the commandments of God and repenting of our sins, we are able to once again live with our Heavenly Father and enjoy peace and happiness in His presence. When I think about things that way, I realize that far from being scary, death is actually a wonderful opportunity for us to progress back to God.
It is a constant comfort to know that because of Christ's sacrifice, we can all return to our loved ones after we get separated by the vial.
ReplyDeletebtw awesome title...its REALY funny
Elder Hallam,
ReplyDeleteThis is a good blog and I enjoyed it very much. It goes along with the following scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NIV)
“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord”.
As I read your article it remind me of a sermon on death that I read several years ago by Peter Marshall, a Presbyterian Minister. In his sermon, he was telling a story about 11 year old boy who was dieing from incurable disease. One day the little boy asked the following questions: “Mother, what is it like to die? Mother, does it hurt?”
The mother ran from room with tears in her eyes and silently prayed to Our Heavenly Father for guidance. Our Heavenly Father impressed on her to say following words:
“Kenneth,” she said as she returned to the next room, “you remember when you were a tiny boy how you used to play so hard all day that when night came you would be too tired even to undress, and you would tumble into mother’s bed and fall asleep? That was not your bed…it was not where you belonged. And you stayed there only a little while. In the morning, much to your surprise, you would wake up and find yourself in your own bed in your own room. You were there because someone had loved you and taken care of you. Your father had come—with big strong arms—and carried you away. Kenneth, death is just like that. We just wake up some morning to find ourselves in the other room—our own room where we belong—because the Lord Jesus loved us.” *
I am grateful that we have a Heavenly Father loves us enough to send His only begotten Son to save us and bring us back to our home in heaven.
* Catherine Marshall, A Man Called Peter, p. 230-232.