Garrett conducted at Jacob Hoffman's funeral over the weekend. His second funeral in one year. It was heartbreaking and yet peaceful. The Spirit bore witness to me that Families are Forever and that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, even if it's so hard to understand during the trail. We never knew Jake, but the love Garrett instantly felt for him and his family was real. Our ward boundaries changed on Sunday and his street was added to our ward, and then early Tuesday morning he quickly and quietly passed on to continue his work beyond the veil. Sunday afternoon as Garrett learned that Jake might not live much longer, he felt the Lord extend to him an immediate love for Jake...the love only a bishop can feel.
Jake was diagnosed with cancer just 4 weeks earlier and the chemo and radiation given to help him overcome the cancer didn't metastasized and leave his body, instead went septic in his body and then he got pneumonia and quickly deteriorated. Monday evening Garrett went to the hospital to meet him and his wife, Ali. Garrett later shared with me that the Spirit was evident in that hospital room, that he was welcomed by Ali and her loving family just like he was family. That Ali held Jake's hand the whole night and did all she could to make him comfortable. When Jake's brother finally arrived from Texas and his whole family was there, they decided to take him off life support and within minutes he was gone.
Saturday at the funeral I met Ali and their family...Jake's two boys from a previous marriage, her son and daughter from a previous marriage and their two boys together...Dax and Cole. I met his father and step-mom and his mom and step-dad and all his brothers and sisters and felt like I had known them all before, especially his dad, Bob and step-mom, Barb. They shared with me the love they immediately felt for Garrett and the way he comforted Ali at the hospital and how much that meant to them and to her...that meant so much to me to hear that from them. I know Garrett follows the Spirit in all he does and says and I know the Lord was guiding him and continues to guide him each day. The funeral was beautiful. I'm sad I never knew Jake...I felt he was a gregarious, fun-loving and kind-hearted man. Someone his children, friends and family, even his dad looked up to. Ali is beautiful and strong. This will be so hard. I pray I will seek for ways to fulfill my baptismal covenants...that I will be able to lighten her burdens and mourn with her...that she will know of our love for her.
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Friday night Garrett performed his first wedding as bishop. Melissa and Bob were married in their home in a short and quick ceremony. He received the call late Thursday night to perform the ceremony and by Friday evening they were married and it looks like they are now bringing home a baby from Alaska to adopt...the reason for the quick wedding - they needed to be married in order to adopt. Garrett did a wonderful job. I love being able to attend things like this with him and be a silent observer. As we left their home he asked me if he made any mistakes or if there was a chance it would make it on youtube...what a viral age we live in!
