This is my husband’s Grandpa. I have never met him, but I feel close to him. It is such an amazing thing. That is one of my favorite things about family history. Even though our family member dies their spirit is still alive. Watching over us. And sometimes the veil, or thing that makes us forget heaven or our pre earth life, is thin. I look forward to the day when I will meet him or see him again. There are things we can do while on this earth to strengthen our family relationships. Because I believe that families really are forever.
I suppose I should share with you why I think George loves me so much. Because I can feel his love. I know he loves me. There are three reasons why I think he loves me.
1. I think he is handsome.
I know that sounds silly and kinda simple. But I think he is handsome. And I don’t think I am the only one. I have been blessed to have scanned his pictures and he tons of girls in them. He dated quite it bit before he met his love. (Don’t you love the picture above? I love how they are looking at each other) I think George appreciates my good taste and sound judgment. I did marry his handsome Grandson, who shares similar features and qualities. When I mentioned how handsome he was some family members were surprised because they hadn’t really seen pictures of him when he was younger. That is one of the reasons I love older pictures. It’s easier to relate to others, especially for children, when they look close to your age. When I meet him again I am sure he will be resurrected and be his young self again. I’m not sure what age that will be. But in my head I always picture him like this.
2. I am teaching my children about him.
There is joy in posterity. I love seeing my children experience life. I can only imagine what is will be like watching my grandchildren or great grandchildren. All of us want to share our lives and wisdom with others. I know he appreciates that I take time to teach my children about him even though I have never met him before. And I admit. My knowledge is limited. But my kids love hearing stories about their ancestors. Especially funny stories. I love having pictures of him up in my house so my children can see him. He is my oldest sons namesake. I know Gandalf loves that connection. One tradition that helps us learn about our family is eating that person’s favorite dessert on their birthday and telling stories. I quiz my kids, where did he serve his mission? What branch of service did he serve in? What temple did he get married in? What is your favorite story about him? One idea I just had a couple of weeks ago was to have a Facebook post and tag family in it. It’s so hard to get everyone to respond to an email and write out a big story. But it’s easier to type out a quick memory. This morning I did that and all the responses so far have warmed my heart. It’s wonderful to share and remember or maybe learn something new about a family member. As we invest time into our family history, and especially as we share it with our children, something amazing happens. There is a connection. We don’t have to wait till heaven to get to know our family. My children will be blessed as they learn of George’s faith and testimony. As they learn more about him, their self confidence will increase. They will better understand who they are. And I know that he is watching over them. He is doing everything he can to help them.
3. I loved his eternal companion.
This is probably the biggest reason why. George left this earth when my sweetheart was in high school. Grandma only passed away a couple of years ago. That would be a hard thing. Being alone and not growing old with your best friend. I love Grandma. She is one I would call my friend. Even though there are years between us. I really tried to visit her and have my kids be around her. There of course are plenty who saw her more, or called her more. That is the beauty of big families. There are so many around to love each other. We would visit after apple picking in the fall. And I would try to visit the month of her birthday. Sometimes it was tempting to head home after our full day picking apples. But we never regretted going to see her. My husband would kiss me and thank me for telling encouraging us to go. Even though it was hard, because I would feel terrible every time we left (She had cats and I am allergic), it was worth it. We would leave and stop off at a gas station. I would wash my hands and rinse my face. When we got home I made everyone put their clothes in the washing machine. I would take medicine and go to bed. But it was always worth it. I know he appreciated that I loved his wife, that I tried to serve her. I would call or send pictures. I am so happy they are now together. I am so thankful for eternal marriage and the blessings that it brings.
I know as we try to learn more about our families we can become closer to them. This knowledge has blessed my life so much. I would encourage everyone to spend time with family. To search them out. Learn and share their stories. Celebrate their lives and remember them. It will bless your life and the lives of your family. We can start small. And we don’t have to do everything. I know it is hard to fit everything we want to do in our lives. Especially when we have young kids. And I hope I don’t make anyone feel guilty, just inspired. Inspired to work on your family history. Start small and make goals. Maybe it’s to write to your grandparents or send pictures. Maybe it’s to write down your own stories. Or maybe it’s to spend a couple of hours a month on family search learning about your family. As we set aside time, even if it’s small, we will be blessed. I know I have been blessed.
