When I was 7 my grandfather was diagnosed with Melanoma Cancer. A few short months later he passed away after going through many surgeries. I saw how it impacted my whole family. Having someone there and then suddenly gone without much warning can really change a family. I was too young to understand fully what was going on. All that I knew is that I wouldn’t see my grandfather in this life but I would see him again some day.

Years passed from that time and when I was 13 my father was diagnosed with a disease called ALS also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. This is a disease that kills the nerves in your body starting with your hands and your feet. For three years I watched my father slowly die in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it. Finally when the disease reached his diaphragm he passed away. He was in the hospital for almost a week just to try to see if we could bring him back to us. He was a man that everyone loved. He was the primary chorister and had such an amazing sweet spirit. When he passed my whole family shut down. My brothers gave me a blessing and I knew at that moment that my father was in a better place but being a young age of 16 I was not ready to let him go. I took everything out on the church. I refused to go for about a year. I didn’t want to do anything with a god that took away my father before he could be at the important moments in my life. When I realized that the reason my mom was not going to church was because of my actions it really pushed me back into going. When I went back I felt the spirit so strongly. I felt the love of my Father in Heaven. I knew that there was a reason this happened to me. I just was not sure why yet. I got my mom going back to church soon after. I knew that my dad was proud of me.

Recently my life long friend’s mother passed away from cancer in her lungs. It hit me really hard because it brought back so many memories of my father. I know what their family is going through and how hard it is to lose someone you love so dearly. But I know that I can help them through this. When my father passed I didn’t have anyone to talk to that knew what I was going through. I know that I can be there for my friend because I know what it is like and how difficult it is. I can be there for him when he needs me and to be able to help him though this hard time. I know that is why I have been though so many difficult things in my life. I need to be there for them and my father and his mother are watching us and want me to be there for his family.

It is still hard on me knowing that my father won’t be there for my wedding or when my children are born but I do know how much he loves me and how much he supports me. I know that God puts us though hard situations to make us stronger and so we can help others going though similar situations. I love this gospel so much and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have it.