Families are forever!

Tonight Jami (Brian's oldest brother) and Jani invited us and Amy's family and mom and dad Freeman over for dinner. We are trying to start a tradition I getting together monthly for Sunday dinner. It was a wonderful night! The best part was all sitting around as a family, listening to dad talk about a couple of letters that were written to him and mom while they were on their missions.  One was from James, and in it he talked about how difficult their lives were. They had just had twins, and during family history study one of the twins was almost always crying. Janae,  their oldest girl, could hardly sit on her bottom, she was always flopped over or on her hand were sitting some other way. Needless to say the rest were probably just as restless. Jacob made the comment that sometimes he does the same thing as Janae; that it is really hard for him to sit still on his bottom do! He was sincere, and everyone got a good laugh out of that!

Our kids had such a good time playing with cousins, playing with the chickens, playing volleyball, just enjoying time together. I talked to Amy about the surgery of Tyler's. brian talk to Jani about it. 

Brian and I had a serious conversation about Tyler when we got home, and we both feel like that is Tyler were ever called back to Heavenly Father earlier then we hope for, that we would not be angry at Him.  That it would somehow be a blessing to our family in the long term, even though it would be extremely difficult.  That we would be able to deal with it. Although it is not something either of us want to experience in this life. 

What I know for sure is that there is a life after this.  And that after we die, as we each will, our spirits will return back to that God who gave them life.  And that for everyone who has lived a good life, that will be a wonderful place, surrounded by family and encircled in even purer love than any of us could experience in this mortal life.  That we will each be resurrected.  And then our bodies will be free from all deformity and imperfection.  It will never feel pain or sickness again.  And we will forever be grateful for our faithfulness in this life to our God.  Our family will be reunited eternally after this life, forever, because of covenants that we have taken upon ourselves in holy temples, which covenants we honor and we are faithful to.  How can I not be at peace, knowing this?