Hayden's Memorial Service

We buried Hayden in Moccasin. It was 60 degree weather in the middle of January. We got to help with everything, picking the plot, digging the grave, filling in the grave, transporting him down from Salt Lake.... I think that helped us, having been able to just about everything possible for him for his entire life. It was a simple graveside service with remarks from Bishop Adair and Alphy dedicating the grave. Everyone but Jessalee was able to make it out from my immediate family.

After the graveside service, the boys then helped take down most of a tree from the front of Mom and Dad's house because it was starting to do funny things to the roof. (Picture below is from Amaryllis' camera.)

The following weekend, back in Orem, we held a memorial service for Hayden again, for Alphy's side of the family since none were able to travel down to Moccasin. I spoke, along with our bishop up here, Bishop Grover. People complimented me on me not crying. I don't think they realized how close I was to doing so.

I shared a bit about Hayden, how many small miracles happened during his short life. Such as, for a boy with no working lungs, he cried at birth and he started taking breaths on his own. He was on oxygen but it was only a tube near his face on continuous flow. It wasn't forcing his diaphragm to move. I also shared messages from Joseph Smith. Words he had shared about those who die. After the Resurrection, Alphy and I will be able to raise Hayden.

Two of the talks from this last October's General Conference struck me and I shared those portions that helped me the most. Both by Elders' Cook. Elder Carl B Cook of the Quorum of the Seventy, shared an experience from his first week as a General Authority. He was feeling overwhelmed with the calling. He got into an elevator to go home when President Monson joined him. President Monson talked to him for a bit, and then, before he left the elevator himself, told Elder Cook "It is better to look up," meaning, look to God for help.

Elder Quentin L Cook, one of the newest members of the Quorum of the Twelve, talked specifically about death, loss and trials and how the Atonement can help those of us left behind. Remembering that life has more to it than this time on earth can help us feel relieved of some of the unfairness of life here. Ultimately, through the Atonement, unfairness will be erased, wrongs will be righted and life will continue.

I'll share the text of my talk in another post.

It was good to see so many friends and family at both of these events. It was also good to see the support we were getting from people we didn't know very well but still were praying for us and wanting to be there for us.