My Grandpa Rod

This last week my grandpa Rod passed away.
It didn't come as a surprise, he's been sick for a long time and had been experiencing a lot of difficulties lately.
Perhaps because of that I don't feel especially grief-stricken. I am sad that he is gone. I am sad it had been a year and a half since I'd seen him. I wish I could go to the funeral, but as I am in my third-trimester with twins flying to Minnesota is rather out of the question.
But more than grief I feel gratitude.

He was in so much pain, physical and emotional, for such a long time that death seems like a blessed respite. He lived alone in a nursing home, and although he had frequent visitors I suspect he is happier to be permanently among his family, his parents and friends who have passed away.
And he was so scared, for so long, about dying. He clung to life, not with a vigor for living, but a fear of what other options he had.
My uncles told us that a few hours before dying, he made his peace with death.
He was ready to go.
And I'm grateful for that.

And I'm grateful that I have the gospel of Christ in my life. I know my grandfather made mistakes, but I'm not worried that I may never see him again.
I am not afraid that he may be in hell, or worse - that his life has been snuffed out completely.
I know that his spirit is somewhere now, and I believe that someday he will live again - just as all of us will after death.
His body was broken, crippled, and weak when he died.
"Though worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." (Job 19:26)
He will be made perfect. He'll live again.
I don't feel grief-stricken, perhaps, because death just doesn't seem so sad when you know it isn't permanent and that in some cases, it might be better than the hardships of living.

This is a short video produced by the mormon church about death. If you have 4 minutes, it is worth your time to watch. What a comfort to know that death is not the end!