Thoughts from July 2005

Love Is Eternal   I coined this phrase as I was sleeping in last Saturday morning, but the concept started twenty-five years ago when my Dad died.  Even though my Dad was gone, I knew he still loved me and watched over me.  One might say that a way I coped with his death. But what got the concept rolling this morning was Garrett Bardsley.  He is still missing Boy Scout, hiding somewhere in Uinta's waiting for someone to discover his body.  His family has prayed and searched for him, with no luck in finding him.  Garrett is a good man.   During the winter, a school in Central or South America was built in his honor.   Garrett's family had it done either thru funds raised to help Garrett or some other means.  Maybe Mr. Bardsley funded the means himself.  The school bears Garrett's name.  I would not be surprised that Garrett watches over his family, helping them be better people, trying to tell them where he is hiding.  And maybe Garrett was helping the searchers find Brennan Hawkins.  And I bet that Garrett loves his family and friends just like they love him. And like Dad, I wouldn't be surprised there are other people who love, watch and try to communicate with their families and friends even though they have departed from this life. So love is eternal. Praying & Trusting   My thoughts from yesterday's sleep-in carried over.  It was the Bardsley vs. Hawkins debate.  Why was Brennan found when Garrett wasn't?   We really don't know why Garrett is still missing and Brennan was found alive, except that there is a reason why things turned out the way they did.  Maybe Garrett and Brennan are and were helping each other in their searches.  The Bardsleys have prayed and searched for him, with no luck in finding him; while Hawkins had the luck of having their prayers answered.   Why were the Hawkins' prayers answered and not the Bardsley's? Prayers in behalf of each boy were and are still being answered.  The Hawkins were no more righteous than the Bardsley's, nor are the Bardsley's a better family than Hawkins because of the difference of depth of the trails.  There is a reason (or reasons) why things in each case went the way they did. When Brennan was found alive, his mother exclaimed that since Brennan had been found alive that prayers were answered and that the heavens were not close.  Defense went up for those who had negative answers to prayers and what of Bardsleys, who son was still at large, probably under a foot of snow that had yet to melt.  Brennan's mother was probably expressing her gratitude and got a little too zealous in the expression.  The Lord is mindful of the Bardsley's prayers and desires of the heart.  Maybe Brennan was found alive to help the searcher to keep the faith.  It is possible to find lost loved ones alive.  Brennan can testify of his experiences while lost that aid searchers in the future for finding those who will get lost in mountains.  And hopefully, Brennan's success will help those searching for Garrett.  I can't stop to think that if Garrett had been found alive last summer, would his dad have been inspired to help rebuild a school in Garrett's honor.  One can say the Garrett's father and family have had their gold refined.  And Brennan's mom has her gold refined since he was found.  There was quite an uproar that occurred when she made her zealous comment on prayer.  The reactions probably paused to look within herself and hopefully reach out to those who aren't so lucky. It takes a lot of trust when one prays.  For Garrett, it is trusting that he will be found.  It was late in summer when he disappeared and Brennan, who was lost at the beginning of the summer.  Winter was closing in Garrett, while Brennan was dealing with the awakening of summer.  But still the Uinta Mountains are unpredictable.  Brennan was facing cold nights just Garrett. Just after Brennan was found, bad weather struck again in the Uintas.   It is trusting in the reasons why one was found alive and the other is missing.  It is accepting the bad news when our prayers aren't answer the way we wanted them to be answered.  And not be jealous when some one's prayer was answered quickly, while our prayers seem to be on hold.  It takes faith to trust in our prayers.  Our prayers are not answer in the way we feel the should.  The Lord knows what is best for each situation, who can handle what and when it can be handle.  The Lord knows our strengths and our weakness and I think that he answers our prayers according, not on our worthiness.   Read “Faith Is the Answer” by Elder David E Sorensen, April 2005 General Conference. (May 2005 Ensign or www.lds.org) 7/2012   A year or two ago, I was watching a BYU station. Garrett's dad was one of the guest for the program that aired. Garrett was still missing and as of this date has never been found. His dad spoke of the volunteer search and rescue program that he started shortly after Garrett was lost. He was grateful that this new program was in place in time for finding  Brennan. Volunteers were not allowed to search for Garrett and that had made difference in finding Brennan. I did not sense any bitterness in Garrett's dad, but gratitude that lost people in the Uintas and other wilderness areas had a better chance of being found.