Scenes From A Funeral
On Saturday we said good bye to our very beloved grandfather Layton Byron Jones who we called Papa. He was 98, my mother's father. The man was an incredible force in this life and he stayed sharp until the end. I spent the afternoon Saturday equally crying and laughing. Crying because I love him so much and remembering how much I always felt loved by him too. Laughing because when a man is as dynamic as Papa, there is a world of stories out there to remember (in his mid-eighties he wed Bernice and paid her $100 to do the hula at their wedding luncheon--and yes, she shook those lovely hips!) He had a presence in this life that was very swift, his mind worked faster than most humans and he hardly ever sat still--and I don't think heaven will contain him either. Saturday was a celebration of a job remarkably well-done and we, his posterity, feel very lucky to share Papa's legacy.
Chup shot these photos at the dedication of the grave:
Papa's three daughters: my mom, Cindy (flew in from her mission in St. Louis), Janet (Springville, Utah) and Karen (Whidbey Island, Washington).
Sometimes I look in the mirror and think I look just like my Aunt Karen. Maybe it's just wishful thinking?
It was said at the service by Elder Russel M. Nelson that a funeral like this made men want to be better and work harder. After a gorgeous family lunch at Jeff and Nanette's house (Greek food, lemonade, sorbets and flowers like you've never seen) we went home exhausted. But before we slept Chup remarked how the sentiments of the day did make him want to improve his life and relationships. I felt the same way. It was a memorable day.
Until we meet again Papa.
What do Mormons believe about life after death?
Here's a scripture from the Book of Mormon:
"Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow." --Alma 40:11-12.
Sounds nice doesn't it?
THIS WEEK:
