Remembering

A wise friend once told me that "there are worse things in this life than death."

I believe that to be true.

But knowing this still doesn't make death easy.

Vivian Padgett

passed away Sunday March 22, 2009

As some of you know, we just attended my mothers brother and my Uncle Wayne's funeral in Memphis the end of January. He passed on Ja. 27th. I found out this morning that his wife, my aunt Vivian died on Sunday. They had a hard time and were unable to get a hold of us until last night. She was sick and when you talked to her, all she wanted was to go on and be with her beloved Wayne. They were separated less than two months.

James E. Hill

passed away Monday, March 23, 2009

Uncle James is the husband of my Grandma Padgett's sister, Betty Valentine Turner Hill. She's always been Aunt Betty to me but she is my Great Aunt Betty.

He was a righteous man and an active lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many church positions during his life time, including president of the Atlanta Georgia temple. He was very beloved of his family and will truly be missed.

Laura Leigh Kirkland

passed away March 24, 2008

It's been a long and sad year for her family and all those of us who love her. We miss her bubbly personality so much.

Only praying that time will help to heal our broken hearts.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

(Matt. 5:4.)

Of all the Beatitudes, this one appears at first glance to be the most unusual and contradictory. How can it be a blessing to be in mourning? To mourn is to show grief or pain at the death of a loved one. This intense feeling cannot be hidden from the world or from God; it cannot be eased or pacified except with comfort and consolation from God through the Holy Ghost.

So why would the Savior say that it is a blessing to mourn? It may be that pain and suffering at the death of loved ones is an essential part of our mortal experience that obliges us to face the question of the reality of the spirit world and the hope of the Resurrection. It is through suffering that we discover what is eternally important.

It might be that it is a blessing for us to become more fully aware that God’s ways are not always our ways, and that we must trust him when things don’t go as we believe they should. When we can see the Lord’s purposes fulfilled in our sorrowful moments, the Holy Ghost can console us and the Atonement and Resurrection can become the cornerstones of our faith.

(Robert E. Wells)