It is very sad to lose a loved one here on earth, and to have to go through the process of mourning the loss of that loved one who has passed through the veil of tears into a better place, but when we think of the joy and happiness they will experience beyond this mortal existence, especially if they have been suffering because of physical ailments, sickness and pain, and cannot get better, then the passage becomes not only a relief for them, but for us likewise, especially if we have had to watch them suffer, knowing that they will never get better, and that their lot in this life will never improve.

When my dad was in his later years, he had cancer, and had to have several operations because of it, and my mother had to sit and watch him suffer, but he never complained, at least I never heard him complain. In his last months he became bed fast, and it was difficult to take care of him. He had a wound on his stomach that wouldn't heal, and it was ugly, and looked so sore. I often went over to their home after working all night, and helped mom change the bandages on his wound, and then sat beside him, reading to him from Where The Red Fern Grows, which he loved, because he loved dogs. Though he couldn't communicate much, in the funny parts of the book he would laugh, sometimes too hard, and would be doubled up with pain, but he wanted me to read on, so I did, and in the sad parts of the book, tears would be rolling down his cheeks as he lay there. And mom would be sitting nearby so she could hear the stories as well. I would usually read a chapter to him, and then would kiss them goodbye and come home to sleep the rest of the morning.

We even had a large prayer circle with all of us holding hands, including him, and prayed that he would get better, but it didn't happen. Then one day we had to put him in the hospital, where he lay in a coma, and was not making any improvements at all. Mom asked me to give him a Priesthood blessing and to bless him that he would get better, because she wanted him to live. Then my oldest brother's son, Blaine Lee came to visit us there, and mom asked him to bless him, so the two of us laid our hands on his head, and Blaine pronounced the blessing, and in the blessing, told him that he had fulfilled his work here on earth, and was released to go home, that we loved him, and was so blessed to have him as our father and grandfather, and had suffered enough. He had accomplished all that Heavenly Father sent him here to accomplish, and he was free to go and join his loved ones on the other side of the veil. Then he closed the prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mom was crying when he finished, and I felt badly for her, but the blessing had been pronounced by a very faithful Priesthood holder, who was very much in tune with heaven, and what else could we say. We stayed and visited with mom a while, and Blaine gave mom a hug, and told her that it was his time to go, and not to have to suffer any more.

About three o'clock the next morning, the hospital called me and told me that dad had passed away peacefully at about 2:30 that morning, and they needed to know what arrangements had been made for his funeral. So I called mom, and told her that dad had died, and that we needed to make arrangements with the funeral home to pick him up so they could take care of his body. The hospital wanted to know if we would allow them to do an autopsy to determine the cause of his death, and we told them NO, he died of cancer, and they didn't need to do any more cutting on his body.

At the funeral several days later, mom went around telling everybody, "No tears, NO TEARS, because dad had finished his mission, and had been called home to continue his work there in the spirit world. And our family put on the funeral program, which was very hard, especially for me, because I had to give a talk and tell about my dad's life. That was very difficult, not the telling of his life, but standing up there and sharing the things which were in my heart to share with the 200 members of our family that were assembled there, along with many friends and relatives. But we did it, and it was a great reunion for us as well, because there were many there whom we hadn't seen for a long time. And I knew in my heart that there was a great reunion going on in the spirit world, where dad had gone to join his parents, grandparents, and many of his brothers and sisters who had died before him, as well as mom and dad's oldest son, Blaine Nelson Lee, who had been killed in an accident when he was only 24 years of age, and left behind his dear Thelma, his beautiful little daughter, and two handsome sons, Blaine and Grant Lee, with another son on the way.

He was called home by my dad's mother who had died when dad was but 14 years old, and left behind a very large family. She had requested he come home on the day he was born, but Heavenly Father told her NO, that he had to accomplish some things here on earth, and needed to complete his mission here, and establish his family first. This was according to my grandfather, Patriarch Charles R. Woodbury, who had made it a matter of fasting and prayer, and it had been revealed to him that his mission was finished, and that we needed to fast and pray that God's will be done, which we did, and Blaine passed away within hours of our kneeling in prayer that Sunday afternoon. I was 14 years old when Blaine died.

Knowing what I know now, from all the things I have learned through the years, when loved ones die, and having reached the 70's in my life, and having written many poems on the subject, not only for my book, but for friends and family who have passed away, leaving behind their loved ones here on earth, to join the choirs of angels, and their loved ones beyond the veil of tears, I offer this poem to you today in hopes that it will help to increase your awareness of heaven and how beautiful it is there, but more especially, how wonderful it is, and will be when our mission and life is over here on earth and Father has called us home. Have a wonderful day, and know that you are loved.