Modern-Day Moroni

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a funeral. Now I know that might sound weird but just read on and I will explain. Over the past week I had a wonderful neighbor and friend pass away. I really did not know this neighbor very well nor did I know his family that well, either. But there was something that stood out to me when we went on a double date once with him and his wife. I remember standing afterward in the parking lot talking to them and having a wonderful conversation and remembering looking at them and being struck cold. I could not put my finger on it at the time and it had been bothering me ever since. I could not put my finger on what was making them different than anybody else in the ward and what was causing them to stand out in my mind and then it struck me at his funeral. It was Moroni's lasting message. It was how this wonderful man was guiding and directing the Lord's Army here in South Weber and the amount of people that he had a influence on. Last Saturday I was trying to study up on the Atonement during work and decided to listen to some of Elder Holland's talks. Might I say I love this man: His power and and passion; The amount of knowledge that he has of the Atonement is just amazing. As I was listening to his talk about the Book of Mormon, he was talking about how he was not there during the time of Christ in the America's or with Alma the younger or even with Moroni. As he said these words I was wondering what would it be like to be in Moroni's presence and what would it be like to hear his words and hear what he would have to say to me. I then remembered the promise of Moroni about remembering how merciful God has been with each one of us. I started to remember all of the blessing that I have and how really blessed I'm with the types of work that I have and the education I have received and of the type of people that I have to converse with and learn from. As I was listening to Elder Holland's talk, it came to me that this neighbor was Moroni for me today. The last time we had a opportunity to talk with him and his wife, he had the ability to pierce right though me and give me a hope and desire to do better; a desire to remember what the Lord has done for me and my family. Then I got the text message from my wife that my Moroni had just passed away. It was not a huge shock to me because he's been very sick, but I remembered that deep way he looked through me the last time we met and how he encouraged me to do better and to remember how good the Lord has been to me. Right in the middle of analyzing some medical samples I broke down and knew what I had to do. I needed to remember and to let this memory live in me for the rest of my life. I could not let it die because I needed to remember what he had done for this Neighbor and for allowing me to meet this man once or twice and to learn from him and his caring ways. I know that this might be a tough subject for those of you know who I am talking about but I can honestly say that he changed my life and made me reconsider my priorities. I had not had this type of experience since I meet Elder Scott while on my mission which I consider to be the turning point of my life. The way that Elder Scott looked at me and talked with me was amazing and the feelings that I had when I talked with the Apostle of the Lord was very similar to when I talked with this neighbor he had a power and ability to see me right to my core and to drill through it and put hope and charity in there. All I hope is that I can live up to it and make myself a better person and that I might be able to have that same kind of power and ability. This has given me a new goal and something to work for. All I can say is thank you Neighbor, Thank you.