Dearest Georgia! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
I just recently discovered this glorious blog, and have since devoured every last entry! What a spiritual feast! My soul is bursting with all kinds of emotions - you see, I have had very little contact with your family these past 8 years, unfortunately, so I've never been able to share all the wonderful thoughts and memories of you with them. After I got home from my mission, I got married and soon after moved to Texas, and we've been here ever since. I can't even tell you how refreshing it has been to read about you this past while - from those who love and cherish you as I do! I don't even know where to start, but I'd like to share a few of my journal entries with you. First I'll give a little background....
When I received word you had passed away, I sobbed until my body couldn't produce any more tears. I pleaded with the Lord for comfort. Then I opened up the scriptures and read Mosiah 16:8 - "But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ." I was so struck by these words. I already had a testimony of the Resurrection, and I knew I'd see you again. But it never had occurred to me that the pain, or the "sting" of your death, could be "swallowed up" through the Atonement as well. At that moment I could relate to Alma when he said, "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!....there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again....on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."
At the time, I was completely immersed in the missionary discussions, getting ready to enter the MTC. As I look back, I know that the timing of my mission was a tender mercy from the Lord. I thought it strange when I received my call that I still had to wait almost 4 1/2 months before I would enter the MTC. Maybe that's common to have that long of a gap, I don't know. Either way, I am so grateful I was able to see you one last time - my mission farewell was the day before your funeral. I have always viewed it as a "double farewell" - I was off to NYC to preach to the people in Manhattan, and you were whisked away to Heaven, to preach to the spirits there. Remember how we would talk about being missionary companions? Well, perhaps we had our wish - building the Kingdom together, on both sides of the veil. :) I was privileged to take my violin with me, which I had named after you. :) Every time I played, I thought of you, and there were times I felt that you were so near. Those moments are very sacred to me and I will continue to treasure them. Like I said, my soul is overflowing with memories, but I guess I'll just start here, with the journal entries....
I just recently discovered this glorious blog, and have since devoured every last entry! What a spiritual feast! My soul is bursting with all kinds of emotions - you see, I have had very little contact with your family these past 8 years, unfortunately, so I've never been able to share all the wonderful thoughts and memories of you with them. After I got home from my mission, I got married and soon after moved to Texas, and we've been here ever since. I can't even tell you how refreshing it has been to read about you this past while - from those who love and cherish you as I do! I don't even know where to start, but I'd like to share a few of my journal entries with you. First I'll give a little background....
When I received word you had passed away, I sobbed until my body couldn't produce any more tears. I pleaded with the Lord for comfort. Then I opened up the scriptures and read Mosiah 16:8 - "But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ." I was so struck by these words. I already had a testimony of the Resurrection, and I knew I'd see you again. But it never had occurred to me that the pain, or the "sting" of your death, could be "swallowed up" through the Atonement as well. At that moment I could relate to Alma when he said, "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!....there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again....on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."
At the time, I was completely immersed in the missionary discussions, getting ready to enter the MTC. As I look back, I know that the timing of my mission was a tender mercy from the Lord. I thought it strange when I received my call that I still had to wait almost 4 1/2 months before I would enter the MTC. Maybe that's common to have that long of a gap, I don't know. Either way, I am so grateful I was able to see you one last time - my mission farewell was the day before your funeral. I have always viewed it as a "double farewell" - I was off to NYC to preach to the people in Manhattan, and you were whisked away to Heaven, to preach to the spirits there. Remember how we would talk about being missionary companions? Well, perhaps we had our wish - building the Kingdom together, on both sides of the veil. :) I was privileged to take my violin with me, which I had named after you. :) Every time I played, I thought of you, and there were times I felt that you were so near. Those moments are very sacred to me and I will continue to treasure them. Like I said, my soul is overflowing with memories, but I guess I'll just start here, with the journal entries....
1 comment:
Lexye, Thank you for adding your personal and wonderful thoughts about Georgia. I posted them as posts instead of comments. I hope that's okay since they were so beautiful and full. I love to hear your feelings about it all. I hope you are doing well!!
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