BECOMING FATHER'S AND A GRANDFATHER.....

MY FATHER HAD MANY GOOD QUALITIES, BUT HE DID NOT HONOR HIS PRIESTHOOD OR TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN WHAT WE DID AS CHILDREN.  THAT WAS AT THE TOP OF MY LIST AS I DATED.  I DID NOT WANT TO DATE ANYONE THAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD CHURCH MEMBER, HUSBAND, AND FATHER.  I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED THAT I MARRIED A MAN THAT HAS BEEN AN EXAMPLE OF SERVING IN THE CHURCH AND BEING A BIG PART OF EVERYTHING OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES DO (THE KID'S MIGHT THINK WE ARE TOO BIG A PART OF WHAT THEY DO).

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH 3 SON'S THAT HAVE STRONG TESTIMONIES, HONOR THEIR PRIESTHOOD, AND ALSO ARE VERY FAMILY ORIENTED.  I LOVE THAT SONG IN PRIMARY THAT SAYS, "A FATHER'S PLACE IS TO PROVIDE, PRESIDE, AND LOVE AND TEACH THE GOSPEL TO HIS CHILDREN."  I CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY THAT THIS IS WHAT THE MEN IN OUR FAMILY DO.  I AM BLESSED SO GREATLY AS I SEE THEM SERVE THEIR FAMILIES AND IN THE CHURCH.  I HOPE EACH OF THEM KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE AND APPRECIATE THEM.

THIS IS ALSO A HARD DAY FOR US AS WE THINK OF BEN AND MISS HIM SO MUCH.  WE KNOW HE KNOWS OF THE GREAT LOVE WE HAVE FOR HIM, AND THAT WE WILL NOT BE A COMPLETE FAMILY IN THIS LIFE.  WE KNOW WE WILL BE A COMPLETE FAMILY FOR ETERNITY.  FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!  HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR THAT KNOWLEDGE.