grandpa christensen.

"Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life." - Alma 40:11

"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” - D&C 76:24

As I sat in a hospital room for nearly 10 hours on Monday, surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins, my sister and her husband, my parents and my grandparents, I felt tremendously grateful for the plan of happiness. Our joy can be full. Our lives are eternal. Families can be together forever. These are things I often say, and even testify of to other friends and family and even strangers that I meet. But for the first time, I realized how inexpressibly grateful I was for that knowledge, for the comfort and surety that the gospel brings.

President Gordon B. Hinckley once gave a talk entitled, "The Empty Tomb Bore Testimony," how truly thankful I am for those words, and for knowing that they're true.

I loved my Grandpa Christensen. He was the George Bailey in my life, and probably in the lives of so many others. He was the man with a million friends, someone who loved and accepted and cared for anyone he met. I am so grateful for his legacy of love, and for all that he has left his spouse, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren behind. We'll be seeing him again one day soon, I know it.