One of My Best Friends in Church Just Passed Away.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

When I began thinking of how many ways this pandemic would, or might impact members, I did not think of the fact that we can’t have funerals. So, I won’t be able to visit with and mourn together with the family of (with only two exceptions) my oldest friend and family, over my 41 years of membership. He was literally a force of nature, and one of the best people I have, or ever will know.

[strappinglad]

Redo the title ???

[JamesBYoung]

I sympathize for your loss.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

6 minutes ago, strappinglad said:

Redo the title ???

Thanks

[bluebell]

I'm so sorry Papa.   

[strappinglad]

2 hours ago, strappinglad said:

Redo the title ???

Ahh... one more time !!

[Raingirl]

2 hours ago, Bill “Papa” Lee said:

When I began thinking of how many ways this pandemic would, or might impact members, I did not think of the fact that we can’t have funerals. So, I won’t be able to visit with and mourn together with the family of (with only two exceptions) my oldest friend and family, over my 41 years of membership. He was literally a force of nature, and one of the best people I have, or ever will know.

We’ve had three members of the ward die in just the last week (not from Covid). No funerals. I don’t think we’re even allowed to provide meals for the families. 

[USU78]

Paintings have frames for a reason. Beautiful things like works of art and meaningful lives need to be bounded by beginnings and endings. Our brains and our hearts can only comprehend and apprehend and ascribe value to the beauty we encounter if it exists within boundaries. 

I intuit that others were perceived by us to be of little value in the pre-earth existence, and the moments we spent with them of little interest, since each moment was like any other, and each person like any other. There were infinite moments and infinite individuals. How could we learn to value unique individuals and ephemeral instances? How could we learn to love as infinite beings with no frame of reference demonstrating to us why we should?

We come here, I hold, to learn to value as G-d values, love as G-d loves:  Every beautiful moment filled with meaning, every precious life worth a world.

 

[rodheadlee]

46 And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not ^ataste of ^bdeath, for it shall be ^csweet unto them;

47 And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for their death is bitter.

I sorry for your loss.

[Skylla]

Title typo edited and so sorry for your loss.

Skylla

 

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

2 hours ago, Skylla said:

Title typo edited and so sorry for your loss.

Skylla

 

Thank you, for the correction, and for your comment. 

[katherine the great]

So sorry Papa! I've thought about this issue of no funerals too. I suppose families can request a memorial service once the restrictions have been lifted but it might not be the same. Such hard times right now. 😢

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

22 hours ago, Raingirl said:

We’ve had three members of the ward die in just the last week (not from Covid). No funerals. I don’t think we’re even allowed to provide meals for the families. 

Wow, that is a lot of grief for one Ward to come back too. 

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

23 hours ago, strappinglad said:

Ahh... one more time !!

I was a bit taken a back, so I don’t even know what the mistake was. 

[Jeanne]

I am sorry Papa!   Sometimes  I think old friends know and remember things that we don't even tell our siblings...old friends mean promises kept and a kinship like no other.  Hugs and remember good things!