The Gift of Aaron Alford: "G.O.A.T."

We lost a good friend last week, Aaron Kent Alford.  A week ago, a blood clot moved from his leg to his lung and took his life. He was 39 years old, leaving behind Linda, Eli (14), and Max and Sam (9).  Most of the week I was mad, thinking about how Linda and her boys' lives will be forever changed and now a new life will have to begin without him.  After the memorial, I realized that the change, although difficult and terrible for a time, also has a silver lining.  Aaron left behind a desire to be better, to be more like Christ, to live with the attitude that every moment in your life is the "Greatest Of All Times" G.O.A.T.  His final words to his church youth group, "whatever choices you make, ask yourself, what would Jesus have me do."  He has finished his work on the earth. It hurts. I am continually sad for his family, but there is joy in knowing that we knew him, we loved him and he loved us.

Dear Aaron,

I thought of you this morning as I was reading my scriptures. You would be happy about that, because now I know that you loved scriptures as well and tried to use them in your life also.  It was so nice to hear from people who really knew you and had strong relationships with you at your memorial.  You are so very loved because of how you lived your life. The last three funerals I have gone to, I went away thinking that I wish I had known them better, what a great person.  I am so grateful that I did know you, and I did feel of your love for me and Paul, but especially my children.  It was amazing to watch your excitement with Jackson journey toward Utah, and you had such a huge part in setting him on that path.  I will never forget the day you took a picture of Dani's first college letter and with joy posted it on your facebook.  We were benefactors of your love, concern and treated my kids like you were their greatest fan. It feels good to have people like you and genuinely be interested in you, and what a gift you have of making everyone in your company feel good about themselves.  

Like I said, I thought of you as I was reading in 2 Nephi this morning.  There were certain people in our church who were witnesses to the Golden Plates, from which the Book of Mormon was translated. They testified of the fact that they did see the plates and that the Lord instructed them to bear witness of that fact.  There was only one person who did not testify in writing and that was Mary Whitmer.  She was the mother of one of the men who testified in writing of seeing the plates.  She was taking care of her family, as well as the Prophet Joseph Smith and his family as he resided in her home to translate the plates.  She was weary from the task, but never complained and fulfilled her duties to do her part in the work.  One evening she was walking out to the barn to milk the cows and the angel Moroni appeared to her, and this is what he said, "You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors, but you are tired because of the increase of your toil; it is proper therefore that you should receive a witness that your faith may be strengthened."  He then showed her the plates.  What a gift for her to be given the surety that her labors were not in vain and that her work was significant.  In her day, there were very few that believed what Joseph Smith was doing, so it makes sense to me that an actual angel would appear to her.  But, today, I have many angels around me to strengthen my faith so that I may continue the work.  My family, my ward, my neighbors, YOU.  

You, Aaron were in angel in this life and I know that you continue to make a difference in the next.  Thank you for finding your gift and using it for good.  You have fought the good fight, I know that you did the work that the Father would have you do and now you have graduated to your next estate. Well done, brother.

I will keep in my heart G.O.A.T.

We'll love you long after your gone, gone, gone.

Until we meet again.

Aloha nui loa,

xo mp

P.S. I imagine you singing the song from Train, 

Sing Together

If I go before I say to everyone in my ballet
Let me take this chance to thank you for the dance
If I run out of songs to sing to take your mind off everything
Just smile, sit a while with the

Sun on your face and remember the place we met
Take a breath and soon I bet you'll see
Without you I would never be me
You are the leaves of my family tree

Sing together
If you knew me from the very start,
Or we met last week at the grocery mart
Just sing together
It's the least that I can do
My final gift to you
Oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oooo

When I'm past the pearly gate, I will find some real estate
Where we can settle down and watch the world go round
We'll send down all the love we got and let them know we got a spot
For them to be and it's all free,

The sun on your face and remember the place we met
Take a breath and soon I bet you'll see
Without you I would never be me
You are the leaves of my family tree

Sing together
If you knew me from the very start,
Or not at all you're still a part, just
Sing together
It's the least that I can do
My final gift to you