Thoughts when facing death

Lehr is a very close friend of our family. In the fall of last year he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At Christmas time he went through weeks of excruciating pain after having surgery for his disease and getting an infection resulting from the procedure. He witnessed many miracles during this time, proving to him that our Heavenly Father loves him. And that his time was not finished in this life.


He came here to Palmyra, New York to visit us last week. My husband asked him what his emotions were, when he realized that he had this disease. He asked him if he felt anger, fear, depression, just what exactly went through his mind. He said he didn’t feel any of those feelings. His emotions took him in a very different direction. He said he kept getting flashbacks of his life, all of the good times he had, had with his family. Trips they had gone on. Special times he had taken with each person individually. And he said he realized how much time he had wasted with the thought “when this happens, or when I get this job.” His thoughts were going in that direction. He decided when he recovered from his surgery; he wouldn’t waste any more time with these negative thoughts. He would live every day to the fullest. And enjoy each moment of his life with his family.

2nd Nephi 2:25

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Our Heavenly Father desires us to be happy. It is his wish that we are all successful and that we make the right choices to be able to live with him again.

He told us that when you are facing the thought of the possibility of death, the most important things to you is your family and the relationship you have with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ.

Alma 38:9

And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.

Either 12:4

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

I hope and pray that each of us will use Lehr as an example and enjoy the experiences that our Heavenly Father has given us. The good times as well as the bad times.

"Stop looking for the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight."


- Gordon B. Hinckley