Families Are Forever

We have just had an amazing experience participating in pageant. Joe Jordan and I play a small part in the Nauvoo Pageant and Play "Angels" where we come out during the Funeral scene while the cast is singing ....
tonight a lady approached us and said that she was so grateful that we were in pageant, she was so touched by the Angel scene because Jordan looks just like her 3 yr son Caleb whom she just lost the week before Christmas this past year. She of course was in tears and we hugged, but she was grateful for that tender mercy of reminding her that her family is forever and she will see him again someday.
She started a foundation in his honor for organ donation, as he was able to help many children who were need. That raised many questions from our children and she was happy to answer. They again asked us more questions, and we explained to them, and reminded them that our friend Emma Cobb is going to need a new heart again someday and the only way she will be able to get a new heart is if a healthy child (like Caleb) dies and is willing to donate his or her heart to her. there are many children like Emma waiting for help, and Heavenly Father allows some to die so that others might live, Just like His Son Jesus Christ, he died for all of us and in a sense donated his organs to us, and if we take care of our organs and make good choices we can return to live with him again someday.

We were reminded of this and encouraged to be more loving and kind to one another. We told each of them that we love them and had them each tell each other that we love them. We were all in tears and had very heart felt hugs.

I am reminded that the Lord is good and in charge. He allowed it to be that we were not only in pageant, but this Red Cast which would be the only time she would be here to see that pageant, we were assigned to be the angels, and we were miracously able to meet up after the performance. It was a real struggle with the kids that day, it was the 9th day of staying up late and getting up early. so they were voicing all of their discomforts about life, in a not so pleasant voice its too cold, it's raining I'm wet, my feet hurt, I'm tired, he's touching me...... and on and on...... so once the finale was over Joe and I discussed the travel arrangements Joe was going to take 3 of the kids and gather our things and take them home to put them in bed as....soon....as.....possible! But he was detoured to the snack shack and this lady was able to meet us up there.

Then on the way to the parking lot, I was still in awe of the conversation that had just transpired and kind of speechless, and Jonathan walked up and said hello and immediately asked Jordan if he liked being an Angel, and the tears began to fall again and I shared the experience with him again.

I got home and Ryan was visibly still shaken up and crying, and Joe told me to go give him a hug, and I was able to pull him aside so we could have some peace and told him it was ok to cry and he had a big vocal cry and we had a tender moment. We shared that it was a sad story that he died, but it was a great reminder about the plan of salvation. We have a little boy that they want, but they will see him again someday by going to the temple and making good choices they can.