General Conference

Each conference gets better than the one before. President Monson's Easter talk at the end of the Sunday morning session was especially good. He gave a wonderful summary of the Savior's life and how he conquered death for all of us. He told a touching story about a boy in the hospital dying whose brother was soon leaving on a mission. He showed a picture of them and talked about how they were both soon leaving for missions. This story brought back memories for me.

When Neil was in the MTC preparing to go to Denmark, my Dad was in the Provo Hospital preparing to leave this life. Neil and his companion got permission to go visit my Dad so he could say goodbye. Norma commented that both Neils were soon to leave on missions. She quoted D&C 138:57, "I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead."

Many years prior to that when I was leaving on my mission to Germany, I went to visit my cousin Sam who at 16 was in the hospital dying from cancer.  I had the same impression then, that we would both be missionaries soon.

I especially liked President Monson's reference to the words, "He is not here, but is risen!" I think of that when I visit the graves of my loved ones, as we did today to take flowers to Karna's in honor of her birthday. They are not there. They may not be risen yet, but they are not there!