{Faith, Love, Forgivness}

Today, I went to one of the saddest funerals ever. My dear friend Sharon and Ted Mardesich, their son Cooper was killed in a tragic accident last Thursday. (Read lower and I have a clip of the newspaper article in a lower post) It was 10:30 and I picked up my little sister Ali. We were on our way and talking how neither one of us could go to the viewing because it makes our hearts hurt to bad. However we needed Sharon to know that we love and support her. We could see all of the cars from the road. The Stake Center was jammed packed. There was even a school bus there. My heart sank as we pulled into the church. Me and my sister looked at each other and took a deep breath. We walked in and the usher said to go to the cultural hall. We turned around and asked if we could just sign the book. He said go ahead, while we were waiting to sign the book the Bishop of their ward introduced himself and asked how we knew the Mardesich family. We told him and he let us be the last to go through the viewing line.

Sharon looked good... until she hugged Ali and then she sobbed. Talk about break your heart. Then she hugged me and asked why we couldn't go back to when our girls were tumbling and we were scared that one might get hurt. (I could easily see how she wanted this fear and not the challenge she was dealing with today) We laughed a little and then I talked to Ted. He is a Tall strong man who loves the gospel. He said "Cooper is in a much better place, we just have to believe that". My comment was "Isn't it sad though that not everyone feels that way? Not everyone believes in eternal families, they don't know that they will see their loved one again." He said "Yes, that is sad. We left and took our seats in the back of the cultural hall. There we waited.

When entering the room as a family, I could feel the love and the strength that they had. It was amazing. You could feel the spirit, and know that Cooper was there with them. It is amazing to me the courage that this couple has. They have already met with the young man that hit their son. Sharon told the young boy that he was a part of their family now (she didn't like the circumstance in which it happened but he was part of the family) And she loved him.
Wow, what courage and love she has. She has the true gift of forgiveness.
I have to say that through faith, love and forgiveness anything is possible. Even loosing your son. They took something bad and made something good. They are true Christian people. I learned alot from them, I love their family and wish them the best as the days grow long and the months grow cold. It is a sad thing but God has no accidents.