My Testimony

Last Monday one of my best friends from high school passed away after a difficult battle with cancer. I finally sat down this morning to record my thoughts and feelings. I realized how much this experience has strengthened my testimony and wanted to share it with you. I don't know if my words convey the passion I feel but I am truly filled with joy and gratitude for this knowledge and deeper understanding.

Here is what I wrote in my journal:

I have thought about her a lot the last week and have tried to sort out my feelings. I have realized that I find myself not feeling sad that she has passed away because I still imagine she is just away at school and will show up for the next reunion we have with high school friends. She won’t be at the next high school reunion in person but she was there as the madrigals gathered after five years to sing her testimony she had written in song at her funeral. Celeste is just away, not gone. 

I am so grateful for my testimony of the plan of salvation. I always believed it but I have not had any trying experience to test my faith. Now I know that I do have a solid foundation and knowledge of life after death. There will be times I will miss Celeste just like I would miss my family who lives in a different state but I know we will see her again. I know this mortal life is just a small part of an eternal plan. I can say all the things we have been taught about life after death and heaven but I feel like they would just be words and wouldn’t have the same meaning as what I feel. I have no other words to explain it though Celeste is in a better place, there is life after death, we will see her again, she will be with her family forever, she will have the blessings of the temple. I know you may have heard all those things and are thinking “yeah I know.” I thought I did too. I did always believe it but now I know there is true comfort in those words. At a time where I could be sad because one of my best friends has died instead I rejoice because I KNOW my redeemer lives and has not left any of us comfortless. There is heartache in this world but our Heavenly Father has given us the plan of Happiness, our Savior, and the atonement so we can have hope and find joy in every day of our lives no matter how difficult something may be. 

Thank you Celeste for your example and giving me this opportunity to gain a deeper testimony of the truth of the gospel. I know you are doing great things and still helping so many people. You always felt such a responsibility to help others and to show them the light of truth. You have done that for me and I know you continue to help those of us here on earth and in the spirit world.