"Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings"

“Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings.” These words have been running through my mind these last few weeks as my family has experienced the passing of yet another loved one. After a miraculous gift of seven more years of life after a heart transplant and so many more miracles surrounding an ocular melanoma, my maternal Uncle, Ron Wodskow, passed away on May 11, 2008 in Idaho Falls, Idaho from liver cancer after only four day’s notice that he had the disease. The Patriarch of my mother’s side of the family, he was definitely the family’s ‘Dad’ and no one could doubt his love for them. It was always evident when you were in his presence that he loved you, and it was a powerful love; the kind that just envelopes you and makes you feel safe. Christ-like love. He was also a family teacher, showing us all how to live and love the gospel through loving advice and powerful example. So everyone, in a way, felt like they were losing a father. This should have been terribly traumatic; drop-to-your-knees-and-sob traumatic. For some of us it was, but only for a few moments. But after those few moments came the peace; that sweet peace that comes from the Spirit and our knowledge and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of the Spirit and this gift of ‘good news’ our Uncle’s passing became one of the most beautiful things we could witness.

I know it’s odd to hear death described as ‘beautiful,’ but that is what the gospel can shape these traumatic experiences into; beautiful life experiences. Where there should have been unbearable heart ache and sobbing, there were many tears but also so much peace. Through the Gospel I know where my Uncle Ron has gone, and so does our family. “…the grave hath no victory and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” (Mosiah 16:8, Book of Mormon) I know he is not gone forever, but only for a time. I know that he will rise again because Christ has broken the chains of death and given us the gift of the resurrection. Until the resurrection comes, I know “…the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.” (Alma 40:12) I also know that through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can also live with our Savior and our Uncle Ron because we are given the magnificent gift of repentance. I know man is not perfect; we make mistakes daily (heaven knows I make plenty of them). We always forget the little things that we should be doing. Sometimes we make very big mistakes, but none of them are ‘untouchable’ to the Atonement. All can be forgiven if we repent. What a gift this knowledge is to us. What a gift this Gospel is to us.

I was also given the sweet gift of being able to say ‘goodbye’ to my Uncle the day before he died. I cried. Many of my tears streamed from watching the tears of others; especially his dear wife, Aunt Pat, their children, and my mother. I also wept because it would be a long time before I would see him again, and I loved him a lot. However, “Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings” and when I bent over his hospital bed to give him one last hug, I knew it was only going to be a temporary separation and instead of saying ‘goodbye’ I was blessed to be able to say, “I love you, and I’ll see you later.”