Changes

Dear Family and Friends,


On the whole, life is good. Savior of the World tickets went on sale this last week (I'm in the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Evening performances if you are trying to get tickets – click here then click "obtain tickets online" in the upper right hand corner or look for it on lds.org under events – Savior of the World), my beard is growing in and it's a variety of different colors (copper/red, brown, blond, clear...), and work at the MTC and teaching physics are both going well.


My family flew into town on Tuesday for Grandma's funeral. They've been here half a dozen times in the past year; it's been nice to spend so much time with them. Grandma's obituary came out Tuesday in the Deseret News as well – I guess that's both my claim to fame and my main contribution to the funeral effort.


The viewing was on Wednesday and I was touched by the beautiful flower arrangements sent by family and friends... and by the many people who came. It felt like we were having a mini family reunion – there were so many people that I hadn't seen in years. It was great to talk with everyone and to hear about their lives... and I'm sure that Grandma was having a wonderful reunion on the other side of the veil at the same time.


Thursday we had the funeral itself. We laid out different things that were stereotypically “grandma,” like her wooden nutcrackers or some of the pictures from her walls. The program was beautiful and uplifting – focused on the message that life doesn't end at death and that families can be together forever. All the grandchildren sang; while we sang I felt an incredible feeling of peace. Who would have thought that a funeral could be so enjoyable? After the funeral lunch, we drove to the family burial plot in Logan. After the grave was dedicated, they lowered the casket into a stone vault and then down into the ground. And then we helped the city cover it with the dirt the had been pulled out. Everyone who wanted to grabbed a shovel and filled the hole with rocks and dirt (mostly rocks, with a little dirt!). The professionals from the city of Logan were well-equipped with gloves and a machine that tamped down the earth, but even the littlest children got to help shovel.


My family left Saturday morning, and, just as quickly as it happened, it's over.



On another note, recently I've been having dreams about being at Stanford. At least, I assume it's Stanford, since I think that each time I've been somewhere in California. Each dream has highlighted different opportunities and struggles that will come from being a part of the Stanford community. Thankfully, instead of moving me away (as happens too frequently), I feel like it is simply preparing me for what is to come.

Life brings with it changes. There is always change. When we turn to the Lord, He will ensure that those changes are good changes – that we learn and grow and come closer to Christ. I encourage each of you to look at the things that are happening in your life – the changes that are taking place – and to determine what the Lord would have you learn. The lessons we gain from Him are often much more meaningful and relevant than anything we could have learned on our own.