A few days ago, my husband and I attended the funeral for a man in our church. He was 97, nearly 98, years young, a stalwart member of his church, a faithful husband, a loving father. The funeral was a tribute to him and to his family. The opening song, "Each Life That Touches Ours for Good," was a fitting one for this great man.
Seventeen of his grandchildren sang. Stories were told of him, funny, endearing stories that spoke of a man who had lived and loved well, in addition to being well-loved. As the Bishop, who was conducting the service, said, "We come today with sorrow, not despair."
If you have attended a Mormon funeral, you understand. Mormon funerals are filled with hope and celebration, for we know that this mortal death is not an end but a new beginning.
Finding hope in death isn't easy. But it can be done. It can be done IF that life is well-lived. For those who have foresaken Christ, who have turned against His teachings, that hope may not be present. And that makes me think about my own life.
Certainly, my pettiness and selfishness will not bring me closer to Christ. Neither will my willfulness and disobedience. Can I align my life to better reflect His gospel?
I can if I choose to.
This I know for sure: life is a matter of choice, for good and bad, for right and wrong,
Morbidly, I sometimes wonder what people would say about me if I died. I usually discover quickly that I don't want to know, and I get busy shining up my average life. I suppose that's what I'm supposed to be doing without the wondering anyway.
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