Life Eternal And My dog, Beau

“And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal”

-Moroni 7:41

         The worst things an animal lover will experience is to see their pet undergo pain. Late last night, my 14-year-old companion suffered a neural attack due to what we think is a brain tumor. I held him for a good half hour as he convulsed and cried out in pain. He was scared and didn’t have any idea of what was going on. It was an awful thing to go through, though quite memorable in that it helped me to remember our loved ones will not be with us forever. At least not here on earth. 

At a certain point, everyone and everything will expire. As people, we get to where we must pass into the spirit world and be received into the Kingdom of Heaven. Recognizing this, it is critical that one spends as much time as possible with those they love. People want to feel loved - they need it. Whether it’s my grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, friends, aunts, uncles, you name it, it's our own responsibility to see they get the affection they deserve. I need to love them unconditionally just as our savior loves us.

My dog, Beau, has gone with me through some of the darkest and most challenging times in life. He has always been there to give me the love and sympathy I may not necessarily have deserved but felt I needed. Though it may sound cheesy, I truly believe that Heavenly Father has been working through my dog, sending the spirit to be with me when I need the guidance and support of an angel to pick me up and carry me through my own personal trials.

I testify that Heavenly Father truly does care for us. Eternal Life is what we should have our sights set for. We will see the loved ones that have moved on to the next life again if we are willing to stay righteous and do as our Heavenly Father wants us to. God is merciful and He wants us to return to Him again. I share this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.