“I know I speak for everyone here,…..Welcome Home.”

One Saturday in January a few years ago we made a trip to my cousin Tonya’s home several hours away. She had planned a surprise party and wanted as many family members there as could make it. This wasn’t a birthday party although there was certainly a feeling of celebration, expectation and joy among all who were there, waiting for the guest of honor to arrive. There were kids chasing each other up and down the stairs, teenagers hanging out with other teenage cousins, adults who had not seen each other for months or in some cases years visiting and catching up on all the news and just reconnecting with each other; renewing the family bonds.

The atmosphere seemed to get even more intense when someone noticed Tonya’s car approaching. You see she was bringing the guest of honor, her husband, home. Everyone started rushing around frantically moving away from the windows and the front door. Tonya’s brother, Taigon rushed to get Tonya’s two son’s so that they would be there to see their daddy come home. Then all of a sudden the door opened and in walked Tonya and Jeff. Some of the adults yelled, “Surprise” and others “Welcome Home” but all eyes were on little Jeffrey as he ran pell-mell across the room into his daddy’s arms. His 17-month-old brother Trapper closely followed him; but he wanted mommy. And there we all saw this family who had been separated for 15 months while Jeff fought the war in Iraq together again.

After the first round of hugs and greetings had passed Taigon got everyone’s attention and his words were so simple, “I know I speak for everyone here,” he said, “Welcome Home Jeff.” The spirit had completely filled that home and all who were there gathered around and offered a prayer of gratitude to Heavenly Father for Jeff’s safe return and the reuniting of this family. Later on I heard Jeff tell Tonya “this was exactly how he had imagined his homecoming although he didn’t expect more than just their immediate family especially with the weather and road conditions.”

His words really touched me. The scene made me think of another homecoming that will eventually happen for all of us when we return from our long journey here on earth, where we have not only had the opportunity to have an earthly body and learn of Jesus and how to become more like him but to be members of and have families of our own.

How blessed we are to have the gospel and the ordinances which allow us to be united together FOREVER with our families. I had never really had any representation of what it truly means to be a forever family prior to this moment at my cousin’s home. Each time I thought of being together forever with my family I simply thought of my immediate family, my husband and sons…but just imagine we will be together with all our loved ones and all their loved ones. What a homecoming it will truly be, to be together with some that we have not seen for years, decades and yet they will all be there to welcome us home. I know God lives. Jesus is the Christ. Through His Atonement we will all have the opportunity of being resurrected. This is not just an individual blessing; it is much more than that. It is a blessing to each one of us and to our families. That we may be eternally grateful, that we can live in the presence of God the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ, that we may be together in the eternities to come, that we might understand the joy, and that we not only teach this doctrine but live true to it in our lives and in our families. My prayer is that all of us will love our families, learn the gospel, live and teach its principals to our families so that when the time comes we will each hear a voice saying “I know I speak for everyone here,…..Welcome Home.”