Hardest Day of My Life

Tuesday July 5th we went out with Dan's family to Sand Hollow and had a great time enjoying the sunshine, water and each other. I spent a lot of time swimming with Shad and couldn't help but think of the countless number of peaceful happy afternoons I had spent as a kid doing the same thing. Growing up water-skiing we spent most Saturdays on the lake. When the water got choppy in the afternoon and we were all too beat up to tube anymore we would go find a quiet peaceful channel to anchor the boat and nap and swim for a while. My family all admits it was our favorite thing to do together. That Tuesday I was picturing swimming in a cove with a little waterfall where the salamanders swim in the shallows by the flowers and my parents and us kids all so happy while my dad laid in the boat with a towel over his head and said how it was heavenly to be there. It was a great afternoon where I contemplated some beautiful memories. After we finished up at the lake we headed back to our condo in St George and got cleaned up. My sister happened to be in St George that weekend as well and stopped by to show us the way to her Father in laws house so we could hang out and see each other since we coincidentally were both in town. We headed over there and were enjoying sitting out in the shade and talking while the kids played. We then headed inside to help with Dinner. While inside Brandi's phone started ringing. Oddly, it was our older brother Ryan. He rarely calls Brandi so she waved at me playfully to follow her as she answered chipperly saying "I am only answering because I am SO curious as to why you would be calling me." He was bawling, and I overheard him say something about "horrible accident" and "neither of them made it." At first I thought he was making a suicide call, or both of his dogs had been hurt or anything but what was really happening. Brandi started crying and screaming and telling Ryan to quit lying to her and it isn't funny and I knew something was seriously wrong. I ran in the other room and shakily called mom's phone. A familiar male voice answered and I relaxed thinking, "everything must be okay if dad is answering," when it hit me that it wasn't my dad on the phone. My uncle Jeff had answered and was now telling me how sorry he was. My parents were killed in a motorcycle accident July 5th 2011 between 3:30 and 4:00 PM outside Libby Montana. The last two and a half weeks have been spent in Oregon with my family preparing and carrying out the funeral and burial and taking care of things for their house and business. I can't express how grateful I am for my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. My parents are together and I am sealed to them for eternity. As painful as this separation is I have been surrounded by angels since that Tuesday afternoon. I can say that the peace and joy of being watched over and cared for by a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with the comfort of the Holy Ghost and earthly angels, such as the family that was with them at the time my parents passed on to the other side and those who flocked to be with us in our time of need, has been greater than the pain of that day. I have never been so overcome with love from others as walking into their funeral service and being surrounded by over one thousand people who knew and loved them. My heart was full of gratitude for that support and expression of Christlike charity. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have and pray that I can live a life to not only make my mom and dad proud, but so others can know my parents through me and the legacy they have left behind.