Eternal Families

This has been an interesting week. I've finished up my first year of medical school, which was definitely tough, but worth every minute of it. In the midst of this, two very sad events happened. On Thursday afternoon, one of my beloved Institute teachers passed away. Sister Hunsaker was full of life and love. Her family has always been very supportive of me since I joined the church. I especially loved learning from her insight weekly at Institute. We were working on Isaiah. Then, on Friday, President Thomas S. Monson's wife passed away in the morning. So, death has touched some very important people recently.

On the flipside, this weekend I'm going to a wedding and a wedding reception. It's very interesting how things work out, how both joy and sadness can be intermingled.

I have been very impressed with the strength that the Hunsaker family has been showing. They are strong, and are that way because of the sacred covenants that they have made. Brother and Sister Hunsaker were sealed in the temple many years ago. When a husband and wife get sealed in the temple, it is for all time and eternity. Most other weddings that I have gone to, or heard of, have the line, "til death do us part", while in the LDS faith we use the line "for all time and eternity". The family is a quintessential part of God's plan for our lives, and for our happiness.

The family unit can be sealed, or bound together for all eternity. This sealing is mentioned in Matthew 16: 19, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The Hunsakers know that they have been sealed together, and that they will be reunited after they die, and I can imagine how glorious a day that will be.

The family is such an important part of God's plan of happiness for us. God wants us to be happy. Just like in the beginning when God created Adam, He knew that Adam needed a help mate, so thus Eve was created. Man and woman were always meant to form that bound, and it should be done in a holy and respectful way. When the pair are routed in Christ, their love gets changed. It becomes less about what the individual wants for themselves, but more for the partner, as they both strive to act, and follow the Savior. This is such a beautifully designed plan. Made in the beginning, and available to those in the present. God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The principles that founded his original family are still in place today.

I pray that many people will be able to experience this happiness and joy. I know that I am looking forward to that day. I also pray that the Hunsakers, and that the Monsons will be comforted in their time of grief, and that they may always remember to look eternally, for that joyous reunion.

My Institute class.