An Example of Strength

I haven't been feeling well lately.  But I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to document today.

Today is exactly 5 years since I broke my femur.  November 22, 2014.  I have a strange knack for remembering certain dates. If you would have asked me back then if I'd still be around today, five years later, I would've said no.  Yet, I'm still here.

Dad and me
December 26, 1996

I've been thinking about Dad a lot lately.  Specifically about his posterity.  I just reread Dad's patriarchal blessing.  In it he was told that he has been blessed with a great posterity who will remember him and look to him as a source of strength.  This is comforting to me.

As one of his posterity, I do remember Dad and look to him as an example of strength to try to emulate. I know some of his posterity are struggling right now.  Not only with the pains and trials of mortality that we all struggle with but, specifically with their own righteousness.  And I know that pains Dad tremendously.  It pained him in the last few years of his life to see his posterity struggle with and lose their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and even with their testimony of God.

More than anything Dad wants his family together in the eternities.  This much I know.  So I know it pains him still to look down and see his posterity struggling and being so far from the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church.

If I could speak for Dad right now (In fact I have felt impressed to), I know he would say to his posterity and others in his family, "I need you to come back."  In fact, he pleaded with some of his posterity just before he died for them to come back to the truth and get back on the covenant path.  Dad understands the importance of staying on the covenant path for families to be together forever.

I hope that all of Dad's posterity will remember him and looked to him as an example of strength to emulate.  Especially those who are struggling the hardest.  Dad was not a spiritual powerhouse.  But Dad was and is an example of strength that we can emulate.  Dad had and still has a strong testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ and His Gospel and of His Restored Church.

There is nothing that would please Dad more than to see his posterity on the covenant path of righteousness.  Nothing would make him happier than to see his posterity get on, return to, or stay on the covenant path.  This much I know.

There is a sense of urgency.  We don't know how much time we have left on this earth or before the Savior comes again.  Don't delay.  Muster up the courage to take the necessary steps to get on, return to, or stay on the covenant path.

If Dad were here, that is the message he would give his posterity and loved ones.

That's my two cents.