truth, hope, happiness

Over the weekend, I attended the funeral service of sister Snow. The Snows are one of the couples I got to know from China. They were with the BYU China Teacher Program.

This is the first American funeral I've been to. I learned a lot about an LDS funeral. The impression I got from the service can be summarized in two words: hope and happiness. It is completely different from a Chinese funeral, which is characterized by despair and sorrow.

It's amazing how much faith a person can gain from knowing the truth. And faith brings with it hope and happiness. I grew up with my grandma (She lived with us for several years to help take care of me when my dad went up the West to work during the Depression.) and we developed this special bonding. We're kindred spirit if you may. I love her more than anyone else in this world(except John. I love John just as much!). It always breaks my heart to think that she may be gone someday. After she celebrated her 90th birthday, my mom started to prepare me for the fact that grandma might leave us someday. Every time she would talk about it, I would cry. I got so scared of the fact that I could never see her again.

One time I relayed my fear to one of the BYU teachers in China. She told me about the eternal plan of salvation and told me to have faith that I'd see my grandma again someday. I chose to believe her without knowing how it would work. I just remember the peace and comfort I got from that little piece of hope. I also remembered the curiosity I had about the Gospel and the frustration I had not being able to find out the truth. I would type in "Mormon" "LDS" on the itnernet and everything would be blocked.

When I came to BYU, I started going to church with my roommates. They never even questioned that I might not be a member until one day in Sacrament meeting, I asked them what a "Patriarcal Blessing" was. They sent me to Gospel Principles and I was baptized in three months. I can still feel the excitement I felt when the missionaries finally put the Gospel puzzle together for me. I called my mom one night and told her I was no longer afraid of grandma leaving us because I knew I'd see her again.
Grandma is the most amazing lady I've ever known. She was widowed when her 6th child was only 6 years old. She raised all of them by herself on her two tiny little bound feet. She's highly respected in my community for her strength, wisdom, charity, and hard-work. I know where she'll be when she passes on. If I want to be with her again, all I need to do is to be as good as she.Truth leads to hope, which leads to happiness. I'm so happy that I know the truthfulness of this Gospel. I love it with all my heart!