Gospel Story Finder

In late 2020, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to build 36 new houses in the New Zealand Hamilton suburb of Temple View. This new residential subdivision, called ‘Hapori Park at Temple View’, will feature 2, 3 and 4-bedroom homes, some single-story and some double.
On 2 November 2020, leaders from the Ngaati Maahanga iwi, whose ancestral lands include Tuhikaramea (Temple View), joined with representatives of the Church and the construction company, Classic Builders, for an early morning service where a blessing was offered in te reo M?ori to mark the commencement of the Hapori Park at Temple View residential subdivision development.
Before the blessing, Atutahi Riki, from Ngaati Maahanga, shared in remarks, “We are one. On the earth, in the earth, and for the earth. We are one.”
Sod was turned on the site for the first 22 houses, which will be built close by to the Church’s Mendenhall Library and David O. McKay Stake and Cultural Events Centre, then Atutahi Riki offered a blessing. He gave thanks to God and asked that the work would be done thoughtfully and respectfully. He also prayed that the community would be benefited by the new homes.
Atutahi Riki was accompanied by Paratai Tai Rakena, Rangiuia Riki and Raiha Gray.
In his remarks, Steven Peterson, director for temporal affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pacific Area, expressed gratitude to the iwi representatives and all others who have supported the Church and the Temple View community over many years.
“I acknowledge everyone of all languages and ancestry gathered today. I also greet and acknowledge Ngaati Maahanga the people of this land,” Peterson said in Maori.
“We are delighted to be with you all today,” Peterson continued. “Members and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been part of the fabric of New Zealand communities since the mid-1800s. We are happy to be so, and look to the past with deep gratitude, and to the future, with faith and hope.
“As a Church, we place great emphasis on doing what we can to strengthen faith in God and His beloved Son Jesus Christ. In fortifying families, and in contributing to cohesive and compassionate communities. We strive to obey the two great commandments as taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ—to love and obey God; and to love and lift our neighbours.”
He concluded, “We see this project as an opportunity to enhance this beautiful community. To make it an even more wonderful place to live. To raise a family, or to retire, in the glow of the temple—which we see as a house of the Lord—and in close proximity to friendly neighbours.
“We are grateful to work with others, such as our friends from Classic, and with the support and blessing of our Ngaati Maahanga brothers and sisters. Thank you, again, for your interest, support and kindness.”
Classic Builder’s Group representative, Scott Keene, also expressed gratitude for iwi support for the project and to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its work to strengthen the Temple View community.

When I was newly called as an Area Seventy, I participated in a radio interview in Puerto Rico with different ecclesiastical leaders of various religions. Among them was a leader who held a doctoral degree in theology. He asked me why Mormons, referring to members of the Church, believe that in heaven we will be married. He indicated that our belief of eternal families was incorrect since the Holy Bible, in the book of Matthew 22:30 indicated that, “For in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.”
I answered clearly, simply and with love. I explained that at that moment Jesus Christ was answering people who did not even believe in the Resurrection, let alone all the saving truths as indicated in the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon, another witness of Jesus Christ. Those who live according to the way of the world, if they do not repent and come to the truth, will not be worthy of obtaining the fullness of the reward in the hereafter. I explained that in the same Holy Bible, the Lord through the Apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 3:14–15, that there are families in heaven and on earth, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
“Of whom every family in heaven and earth is named.”
No doubt there are families in heaven.

Matthew tugged on his boots, put on his mittens, and headed for the clearing on the far side of the cottage. Everything looked different from the way he remembered it. The tall pine trees were now covered with snow. The apple tree he’d climbed last summer looked dark and bare against the winter landscape. Even the pond was frozen over, and Matthew wondered how the frogs and turtles were doing. But the worst difference was the terrible silence that Grandpa’s happy laugh should have filled.
Matthew had never been to the cottage during the winter. But Grandma had wanted to come now. Mom said that it made Grandma happy just remembering how much Grandpa had enjoyed it here.
But being here didn’t make Matthew feel happy. And remembering that Grandpa had died only made him feel worse.
He trudged through the snow to the old work shed and peered through a frosty window. The birdhouse he’d been helping Grandpa build last summer sat unfinished on top of the workbench. The rough edges needed to be sanded smooth before purple martins could move in, in the spring. Now it wouldn’t get done. Matthew walked away feeling even sadder.
He followed a path through the pines to the creek that ran through the woods. In summer the muddy bank held the tracks of all the animals that came out of the woods for a cool drink. Grandpa had taught Matthew how to recognize the tracks of the raccoons, rabbits, deer, and other animals that lived nearby. “All of God’s creatures have their own distinct footprints,” Grandpa had told him.
The only tracks visible in the snow now were those of a lone deer. In the hope of catching a glimpse of it, Matthew decided to follow its trail into the woods. He walked for quite a distance as the tracks zigzagged between the trees. The afternoon sun began to fade, and Matthew’s toes began to tingle from the cold.
Then he spotted not just one deer but a small herd. They were munching peacefully on the sweet bark and small twigs of a cherry birch tree. Holding his breath, Matthew took a few steps forward to get a closer look.
Oh-oh! One noticed him. The herd darted into the woods in every direction.
Matthew sighed deeply. “Oh, well,” he said to himself, “it’s time to go back, anyway.”
But when he looked around, he saw dozens of deer tracks in the snow. He wasn’t sure which set would lead him back to the cottage. He began to feel a little frightened as he realized it would be dark soon and that he was lost in the woods.
If only Grandpa were here! Matthew thought sadly. He’d know what to do.
Then he remembered what Grandpa had told him: “All of God’s creatures have their own distinct footprints.” Matthew looked around to find the familiar shape of his own boots pressed clearly in the snow.
It felt as though Grandpa was walking with him as he followed his own footprints back through the pines, along the creek, and into the clearing. The familiar outline of the cottage ahead filled him with happiness.
As he passed the work shed, he took another look through the window at the birdhouse. There was no reason why he couldn’t finish the sanding himself, he decided. And in the spring he would hang the birdhouse next to the apple tree in the clearing. Then every time he saw it, he would remember Grandpa and all that they had done together. Grandpa would like that.

When I was dating, I saw many scenarios where the worth of others was based on appearance. It made me sad to see how some of my friends went on fewer dates than those who seemed to fit the world’s beauty standards. And, unfortunately, in my own quest for an eternal companion, I also had my own checklist of traits—including physical ones—that I was looking for in a future husband.
Eventually, I did find someone to marry in the temple. And in the beginning, I thought we had a wonderful marriage. But I started noticing that my husband would boast to others about how he had married the prettiest girl in the room, and yet he couldn’t ever seem to say anything nice about my appearance privately. He always commented if my weight changed and told me how to do my hair and how to dress.
A few months after I had our first child, my husband unexpectedly said he wanted a divorce. I hadn’t even known something was wrong. Despite my best efforts, he couldn’t be persuaded to work on saving our marriage, and I was left a single mother.
Later, I discovered he had been involved with another woman while we were still married, and I was astounded to find that she looked just like me but was a few years younger and didn’t have any of the changes that came with carrying and delivering a baby. I began wondering why I wasn’t good enough and focusing on my physical flaws.
As I pondered the meaning of true beauty, I found a quote that contrasted with the world’s view of the matter: “Amid ‘all of the deception’ that may initially occur in dating—including always looking our best—we should remember that appearance and style ‘are essentially unessential.’”1
This helped me understand that seeing each other’s spirits, or what’s on the inside, is what is truly important in finding a spouse and is the key to loving others and ourselves. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we should be focusing on strength of character and on our identities as divine spirits.
My divorce hurt me a lot, but it also gave me a chance to reevaluate the meaning of true beauty and divine worth. If you are struggling to recognize your divine worth or that of others, consider the following tips, which helped me reframe my perspective.

The first time I saw him bless the sacrament was during “the freeze” because we held our sacrament meeting in our own house.3 We felt very great when he held the priesthood at that time. No one had to come in the house to bless the sacrament for us; he did. It was special and we loved it.

We made cascarones from January 2014. It was fun to paint the eggs. Our baby brother was surprised when we cracked the eggs and confetti fell on him! We loved learning about new countries and doing games, crafts, and recipes from them.

When Jack tripped over his feet, he didn’t worry.
When he dropped his pencil, he didn’t worry.
But when he fell off his bunk bed, he worried. That hurt! Why was he being so clumsy?
Mom took Jack to the doctor.
“Walk down the hall while I watch,” said the doctor. Jack thought it would be easy, but he fell down. A few days later, he couldn’t use his arms very well either. The doctor discovered that Jack had a virus that made his arms and legs stop working. He would need to stay at the hospital for a while. Jack was nervous about staying overnight—especially since visitors weren’t allowed to stay.
“Would you like a blessing?” asked Dad.
Jack nodded. Dad laid his hands on Jack’s head and blessed him to get better. Jack felt peaceful during the blessing, but he still didn’t want to stay in the hospital. He wanted to sleep in the bedroom that he shared with his brother.
“Sorry, honey. The hospital says we can’t stay,” Mom said. “But we’ll be back tomorrow morning.”
Jack couldn’t get out of bed by himself. He couldn’t get a drink. He couldn’t go to the bathroom. There was no one here he knew. Jack felt scared.
After a few days, Jack got to know the nurses and doctors, so he wasn’t as afraid. But he was bored.
A few weeks later, Jack’s arms got stronger. He could push himself around in a wheelchair, so he wasn’t as bored. But he was lonely. His parents came to visit every day, and sometimes his brothers and sister pushed him around in his wheelchair too. But Jack’s family couldn’t always be with him. They lived a long way from the hospital. His dad had to work. His brothers and sister went to school. Jack wished he didn’t feel so alone.
One day a nurse smiled and said, “You have a visitor.”
In walked Jack’s bishop! “Hello, Jack! How are you doing today?”Jack grinned. He felt happy that the bishop knew his name.
“I brought you a present,” the bishop said. He gave Jack a toy and some candy.
“Thank you,” Jack said. At first he didn’t know what else to say. But soon he was telling the bishop about how he had tried to do tricks in his wheelchair. He had tipped over and couldn’t get up until a nurse came to help him. Jack didn’t try tricks in his wheelchair anymore! He also told the bishop about the books he’d read, his favorite hospital foods, and the schoolwork he’d done. Jack was grateful for someone to talk to.
When the bishop stood to leave, he said, “We miss you at church. Get well soon.”
The ward members had noticed Jack was gone, and they cared about him. Knowing that made Jack smile even after the bishop had left.
After six weeks, Jack pushed his wheelchair down the long hallway to the hospital’s front doors. He got in the car and rode home.
After a few more weeks, Jack climbed the ladder to the bunk bed all by himself. He did not slip. He fell asleep to the sound of his brother breathing quietly below.
A few weeks later, Jack made a card with the bishop’s name on it. He did not drop the pencil. He poured some candy inside the envelope and sealed it.
Jack was grateful for priesthood blessings. He was thankful for legs that could walk, arms that could climb, and hands that could write. And he was grateful for a bishop who let him know he was not alone.

At the age of forty-two, on 6 April 1941, Harold B. Lee was called to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was twenty years younger than the next youngest quorum member. That morning in general conference, he said: “Since nine o’clock last night I have lived an entire lifetime in retrospect and in prospect. … Throughout the night, as I thought of this most appalling and soul-stirring assignment, there kept coming to me the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ … Therefore I shall take the word of Apostle Paul. I shall come boldly unto the throne of grace and ask for mercy and his grace to help me in my time of need. With that help I cannot fail. Without it I cannot succeed.”

It was a warm but very pleasant summer evening. Bob and his friend Phil had just finished eating their charcoal-broiled hamburgers. As Bob leaned back in his lawn chair, he saw a sudden commotion in a neighbor’s yard a few houses away. At first he ignored it, but as the noise increased it bothered him more.
Almost at the same moment he and Phil stood up to get a better view. As they did, they heard a yell for help.
Before they realized it, they were running at full speed down the block toward the neighbor’s home. As they ran into the carport, their neighbor Ken came from his back door with the smallest of his eight children in his arms. In his hand he held a bottle of consecrated oil.
“Phil,” he said, “I want you to anoint my son. Quickly! He has been run over by a car!” There was not panic in his voice, but Bob could feel the tension and emotion of the situation. Phil quickly took the oil and anointed the small, gasping child. Then they all laid their hands on the child’s head, and Ken gave an immediate blessing and command for his son to live long enough to get medical help.
As the sealing was closed Bob opened his eyes and felt a calm feeling, interrupted only momentarily by the sight of the baby, now turning a bluish color from lack of oxygen.
Ken and his wife left the family in the care of Bob and Phil and rushed to a nearby hospital. Although it was normally a 30-minute drive through traffic and intermittent lights, they arrived in 15.
After one of the older children explained what had happened, Phil called the hospital so they would be prepared to properly treat the baby. Then they all sat down to wait for information of the baby’s welfare.
After what seemed like an eternity the phone rang, startling them all into action. Phil was the first to reach the receiver; the rest listened intently for any clue about how things were at the hospital.
“Hello! Yes, Ken, this is Phil. How’s the baby?” Silence—then, “That’s great,” Phil sighed.
The house was joyous as the children jumped on each other, yelling and screaming.
“Quiet!” Phil yelled. “There’s more. Go ahead Ken, I couldn’t hear the last part.”
Everyone reacted to the tension in Phil’s voice, and it became deathly silent as they listened to catch what else had been said.
When Phil hung up the phone he turned to the family with a show of concern on his face, but slowly a smile replaced it.
“Your little brother is okay,” he said, “but they must keep him there for awhile to make sure nothing goes wrong. His lungs were crushed, and the doctors don’t know how he even survived, but he’ll be fine after a lot of good care.”
The house was a turmoil again as the children expressed their pent up emotions and love for their baby brother. As Bob watched he realized he had witnessed a miracle. The doctors couldn’t explain it, but they hadn’t been there when Ken blessed his tiny son. They hadn’t felt the warmth of the Spirit quietly whisper to him that the baby would be okay.
Ken’s first thoughts had been to use his priesthood to bless the child, and he had been prepared to do so. Emergencies will come into all of our lives, some very similar to this one, and we must be prepared for them. How can all priesthood bearers develop the faith and power in the priesthood that Ken had when he most needed it?

As the school bus bumped along the rough road, Barbara bounced with excitement.
“You should see my Father’s Day gift,” she told Francine.
“Mr. Hansen, the art teacher, stayed after school for a few days to help me. It’s a hand-painted tie with all the soft colors my dad likes.”
“Do you have it with you?”
“It’s home on my desk, ready to be wrapped.”
“What if your dad goes into your room and sees it?” Francine said.
“He won’t. Dad left for work early this morning and won’t be home until after I’m home from school.”
The bus slowed for Barbara’s stop. Her spirits soared as she raced into her home and up the stairs. It was time to wrap her gift. But as soon as she reached the second floor, she knew something was wrong. Her bedroom door was wide open.
She raced into her bedroom and found her four-year-old brother sitting on the carpet, holding what was left of the treasured tie. Soft-colored scraps surrounded the shiny scissors on the floor. Ronnie’s pudgy fingers worked to knot the ragged tie about his neck, and he glanced up, an expectant smile creasing his round face.
“See? Now I look like Daddy.”
“How could you, Ronnie? You’ve ruined it!” Barbara dragged herself downstairs, collapsed onto a kitchen chair, and started sobbing.
Her mother was speaking on the phone, jotting notes on a pad. She eyed Barbara. “Let me call you back. Something’s come up.”
In one smooth movement, Mom was in a nearby chair. The story of the tie spilled out, and Mom nodded, her face serious.
“Now what am I going to do? I have no gift for Dad. And I worked so hard on that tie.”
“I’m sorry,” Mom said, “It must be a terrible disappointment. And now you have even more hard work ahead of you.”
“You mean making another tie?”
“No, I mean forgiving Ronnie.”
“After what he did?”
“As I said, it’s hard work. Forgiveness isn’t just words. Forgiveness includes honest feelings.”
Stunned, Barbara left the kitchen. Forgive her brother for wrecking Dad’s gift? How could she? Why should she?
She sat on the steps, trying to deal with her feelings. As she sat there, she argued silently with herself, “I shouldn’t have left it on my desk.” “Ronnie shouldn’t have gone into my room, either—that was my private space.” “But four-year-olds don’t understand privacy.”
With a wince, she recalled the pride and innocent pleasure on Ronnie’s face as he showed her that he just wanted to be like Dad. He wasn’t trying to hurt me, and he must have been hurt by what I said.
What I said—words. Mom had said that forgiveness was not just words, but honest feelings. With growing joy, Barbara realized she had feelings of love not only for Dad and Mom but for Ronnie too. Sincere feelings.
She hurried back to her room. Kneeling, she hugged Ronnie tightly. “I wanted to give Dad a super gift,” she explained. “That’s why I was upset by what you did. But you’re special to me too. Next time I’ll include you in my plans. Then the gift will be from both of us.”
“I think you just gave me a special gift,” Dad said from the doorway.
Barbara got to her feet, holding out the tie. “Sorry, Dad.”
“Sorry that you’re a feeling person who puts people ahead of material things? Don’t ever be sorry for that. I’m proud that you’re my daughter.”
Barbara flew into his arms. The wonderful sense of joy that she had felt on the stairs returned stronger than ever. Her family was more important than a piece of cloth.

One young woman received understanding of a significant gospel principle as she attended an institute of religion class. The lesson that day helped her realize she had not fully repented of past transgressions. She felt the influence of the Holy Ghost and knew she must be obedient and confess her transgressions, but she was too frightened to talk to her bishop about it.

As she humbly prayed, the words of a hymn filled her mind: “Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed, For I am thy God and will still give thee aid” (“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, number 85). Enlightened and assured, she went to the bishop and began the process of repentance.

Almost three years ago, one of our daughters got married and immediately left with her husband for medical school in a distant city. She was leaving the security of the nest to begin a family of her own. I wondered: “Did I teach her everything she needs to know? Does she know what is most important in this life? Is she prepared to build a happy home?”
As I watched her drive away, I remembered a little journal I gave her on her 17th birthday. It was entitled “Did I Tell You … ?” In it, I recorded counsel I had often given her in our late-night conversations. As she and her new husband headed for their life together, I thought of three additional entries I wanted to add to that little journal to help her make a transition more important and challenging than that of crossing the country: the transition to starting her own home and family. Let me share these entries to her and to all young people in the Church, to teach and testify of the importance of family.

Brethren, it is a privilege to be with you in this historic conference. When I was a new mission president, I was excited to receive our first group of new missionaries. A few of our more experienced missionaries were preparing for a brief meeting with them. I noticed that they had arranged children’s chairs in a semicircle.
“What’s up with the little chairs?” I asked.
The missionaries, somewhat sheepishly, said, “For the new missionaries.”
I believe the way we see others significantly impacts their perception of who they are and what they can become.1 Our new missionaries sat on adult chairs that day.

Home teaching has also helped me get a head start on learning how to prepare lessons and schedule appointments with families. Learning and fulfilling the duties of priesthood callings isn’t as hard as it sounds. Our duty to magnify our callings is one that we don’t have to tackle by ourselves. As long as we do our part and prepare, we’ll never be left alone. Sometimes I find that I prepare a message for home teaching, and when it’s time to present it, I’m prompted to talk about something totally different. The message ends up being even better than I had planned. The Holy Ghost will be there for you, and if you ever feel like you don’t know how to handle the responsibility of holding the priesthood, just listen for the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will tell you what you need to say at the exact moment you need to say it (see D&C 100:5–6).

In October, a group of young adults, missionaries and stake leaders from Northampton Stake got together to help the Buckingham Canal Society. The society was one of the first organisations within the stake boundary to sign up on JustServe, so the stake was very keen to respond to their needs. The society was founded in 1992. They are currently restoring a canal that spans the Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire border between Buckingham and Cosgrove.
Terry Cavender, executive officer at BCS, said, “Three of us at the Buckingham Canal Society were joined by around 20 of the Helping Hands team. After explaining the COVID safety briefing and the other aspects of site safety, the group got to work. I was joined by five of the volunteers to undertake some weird plumbing and generally wallowing in mud. Rob took ten in-waders to go pulling reeds in the canal bed. Amanda took a team of five and tackled several site tidy jobs moving rubbish and scrap. Suddenly it was lunchtime, and I was amazed, along with my colleagues, at the amount of work achieved by the teams.
“After the ‘pizza picnic’, the folk came back for more and we achieved a tremendous amount of task completion.
“Everyone seemed to enjoy the day despite an early finish due to high winds in the afternoon. We look forward to welcoming all the Helping Hands back again.”

Sally Parker was a neighbor of Lucy Mack Smith in Kirtland, Ohio. “She told me the whole story,” Sally wrote. When she asked Lucy if she had seen the plates, “[Lucy] said no, it was not for her to see them, but she hefted and handled them and I believed all she said for I lived by her eight months and she was one of the best of women.”

In 1838, Sally heard Hyrum Smith share his witness too: “He said he had seen the plates with his eyes and handled them with his hands.”8

In the late 1830s, as many people were leaving the Church, Sally Parker lamented the loss of their fellowship and renewed her determination to abide by the precepts of the Book of Mormon. “I mean to hold on to that faith which is like a grain of mustard seed,” Sally wrote. “I feel the power of it in my heart now. I am as strong in the faith as I was when we were baptized and my mind is the same. I mean to hold on by the gospel till death.”9

The Young Women of Eight Mile Plains Ward, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, decided to share their love for Valentine’s Day. After spending a Saturday preparing paper hearts with messages of love and friendship, the girls sneaked into the yards of their “victims,” leaving their messages behind, attached to sticks in the ground, and taped to doorknobs and doorbells.
The girls did the entire project in secret but were found out by some people who loved the idea so much that they did the same thing to their neighbors the following day. The Eight Mile Plains girls have decided to make it a yearly tradition.

As a member of the Church, you can expect that the full-time or the stake missionaries will ask for the opportunity to visit with you in your home. They will help you make a list of people with whom you could share the gospel. They may suggest you think of relatives, neighbors, and acquaintances. They may ask you to set a date by which you will try to have the person or family prepared to be taught, perhaps even ready to invite the missionaries. I’ve had that experience. Because we in our family accepted that invitation from the missionaries, I was blessed to perform the baptism of a widow in her 80s, taught by sister missionaries.

When I placed my hands on her head to confirm her a member of the Church, I felt impressed to say that her choice to be baptized would bless generations of her family, after and before her. She’s dead now, but in a few weeks I will be in the temple with her son as he is sealed to her.

President McKay had evidently seen the temple in vision and described it in such detail to Church architect Edward O. Anderson that he was able to reproduce it on paper. As the design process proceeded, the initial drawing was modified. Upon seeing the latest drawings, President McKay said, “Brother Anderson, that is not the temple that you and I saw together.” The final drawings, needless to say, reflected President McKay’s original description.

When I was 17, my oldest brother, John, passed away. He was only 27 and left behind a wife and young son. I could not have endured through this tragedy without the scriptures to lead and guide my life.
If you have ever had anyone close to you pass away, then you know the pain that strikes in every part of your being. It hurts for a long time. Even though we learn to be happy again and move on, no matter how much time passes, there’s still a pain.
When my brother passed away, I learned that it was OK to let myself hurt. It was OK to be sad. I didn’t need to be so strong all of the time. Sometimes there are challenges where we have to rely on others. And I learned I had to rely on the Lord.
About nine months before my brother passed away, I had prayed to my Heavenly Father to find a scripture I could use as a theme in my life that year. I was reading my scriptures and came across Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
This scripture struck me with such force that I knew this was supposed to be my theme scripture for that year. For the next nine months, I tried to “trust in the Lord.” In every experience I went through, those words would echo in my mind.
About a week after John’s death, the words in Proverbs echoed in my mind again, and I realized why the Lord wanted me to practice trusting in Him. When my brother passed away, I could have asked my Heavenly Father, “Why? Why did this have to happen to us?” But that question never crossed my mind, because for nine months the Lord had been preparing me to trust in Him. Instead, I was ready to bring comfort to other family members around me who needed it. I felt the peace that comes from the knowledge that family is eternal, and I knew that I hadn’t seen John for the last time. Although at times I feel that pain that comes from losing someone you love, I know that my family can be together again after this life. This scripture in Proverbs brought me hope, peace, and guidance in a time of great need.