Funeral Talk

My brother recently died, and I talked at his funeral. Here is the talk I gave:

We as a family have been so blessed this week. We may not be perfect, but we have felt a much closer bond during this hard time. I am grateful for this past week I’ve had to spend time with my family at my parents’ home. Another blessing I’ve seen is how my little brother,
Carey was and is loved by so many. Carey was everyone’s best friend and made friends easily. Carey had the biggest and best bear hugs around. He had a very fun, loving and contagious spirit about him. He always had a smile or a compliment for those he came in contact with. My mom was just saying last night how she’ll miss it when he would call her up and say, “hello, beautiful”.
These are some comments from various friends and loved ones about Carey:
• He was such a kind hearted person,
• I will always remember him watching out for me. He always protected me. He always had so much love and compassion for everyone around him. I was blessed to have him in my life.
• He was one of the funniest kids I knew, always had a smile on his face, I’m just glad I had the opportunity to be his friend. Carey, will be missed. He was one of the nicest kids I know. I always loved his genuine smile.
• I love you Carey! You’re the best friend anybody could ever ask for! I will miss you so much! You’re such a good person everybody you have ever met knows that.
• Carey, you touched people lives like no one ever could have done.
• He was certainly one of a kind. I will miss you with all my heart, care bear.
• I just hope God has a bike up there for you so you can cruise the long highways and never have an empty road to ride. You will be greatly missed and hope that one day we can ride the roads together and blaze our own trails
• And these are only a few of the comments made about Carey.

Russell M. Nelson said this: “In speaking at a funeral of a loved one, the Prophet Joseph Smith offered this admonition: “When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our hearts, it should be a caution unto us. … Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings.” Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death. Prior to our birth, we dwelled as spirit children with our Father in Heaven. There we eagerly anticipated the possibility of coming to earth and obtaining a physical body. Knowingly we wanted the risks of mortality, which would allow the exercise of agency and accountability. “This life [was to become] a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God.” But we regarded the returning home as the best part of that long-awaited trip, just as we do now. Before embarking on any journey, we like to have some assurance of a round-trip ticket. Returning from earth to life in our heavenly home requires passage through—and not around—the doors of death. We were born to die, and we die to live. As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven.”

Our Savior, Jesus Christ said it best: “Be not afraid, only believe” as he told Jairus, a man who came to the Christ as his daughter was dying. Another example of Christ’s compassion was when sisters, Mary and Martha lost their brother, Lazurus. Their friends and neighbors tried to comfort them but failed. Their sorrow was so great that upon seeing them Christ was filled with compassion and wept with them. We can perhaps imagine how Martha felt when the Savior told her, “Thy brother shall rise again”. Her response reflected a certain understanding of the plan of salvation: “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day”. The Lord’s answer to Martha reassured her: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die”.

The Savior also gave these comforting words of heavenly companions: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”
We may also ask ourselves: Do I believe Jesus’ words about immortality and eternal life? Do I believe in a happy reunion with my loved ones who have passed away? To the extent that we allow these truths to permeate our lives, we will also respond with great faith and a fortified testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Prior to His ascension from the Holy Land, the Savior pronounced a unique blessing: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

I know Carey had a lot of trials in this lifetime. I know he is at peace now, and I pray for those that are struggling at this time that you can turn to the Savior and find the peace you are searching for. Our Savior is there and will comfort you in time of need.