Life is precious

Today I had the opportunity to attend a funeral for the little boy of a couple that used to live in our ward. Lair Snow Thomas passes away at 6 days old on February 6th. His parents Andy and Alex are amazing and it was incredible to see how they are handling this challenge as well as their love for their little baby. I have felt like a fountain since hearing of it last night as it is extra hard to deal with the emotions so close to the birth of m own son, Gideon.

The thing that struck me the most during the service was when Laird's grandparents spoke about the resurrection and how families are together forever. What a wonderful gospel that is centered around families and how if we are faithful these relationships will continue throughout eternity. Also 2 of the 4 grandparents quoted Joseph Smith from the new manual, here it is from page 176

"why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. The strongest reasons that present themselves to my mind are these This world is a very wicked world; and it . . . grows more wicked and corrupt. . . The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of morning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again. . .
. . . The only difference between the old and young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable, wicked world."

I can only imagine the loss and pain Alex and Andy are experiencing and my thoughts and prayers go out to them. Here is the link to his obituary if you want to read it.

Lair Snow Thomas