Jake, Our Next Life and Eternal Families

Sixteen years ago today our son, Jake (Jacob Butler Owens) passed away from a gunshot wound.  Our thoughts have especially been turned to him this day.  The reason we are posting about this today is because we are on a temple mission.  Temple ordinances prepare us for eternal life and exaltation which includes the great blessing of being able to be together as eternal families.  As we make and keep these sacred covenants we are promised many blessings (see D&C 109).  Temple work is all part of God's Great Plan of Salvation (or Happiness).  

We look forward to being with Jake in the hereafter but we realize we realize we need to continue to strive to live worthy in order to qualify for this great blessing.  Temple work is focused on joy and happiness in this life and in the life to come, if we make and keep these sacred temple covenants.

When our son died there was such an outpouring of love and support from our extended family, friends, neighbors, ward and stake members, leaders and teachers, school teachers and leaders classmates of all of our children, and others.  We indeed felt Heavenly Father and Savior's love through all of these wonderful people and through the comfort of the Holy Ghost.  We so much appreciated the love and support we received then (and since then).

He was such a wonderful son, musically and athletically talented, smart, handsome, and spiritual.  And a lot of fun to be around.  He loved to play games and would always get the family together to play games every Sunday evening.  He turned twelve in March of that year (2003) and was ordained a Deacon.  He loved the Gospel and was thrilled to be able to pass the Sacrament and do other duties as a Deacon.

As we perform these sacred temple ordinances, either as a patron or as a temple ordinance worker, we are helping those who have passed on.  Jake had the Gospel and lived it, but most of the people who have lived here on earth have not known about the Gospel. They will be taught the Gospel in the Spirit World.  They will need to decide if they accept or reject the Gospel but we can be instruments in the Lord's hands in performing these ordinances for them.  What a great blessing and responsibility it is for us to do this.  

President Russell M. Nelson said:  “A temple is literally the house of the Lord, reserved for ordinances of eternal significance. Those ordinances include baptisms, marriages, endowments, and sealings. …“… Ordinances of the temple are absolutely crucial. We cannot return to God’s glory without them” (“Prepare for Blessings of the Temple,” Ensign, Mar. 2002, 17–18).

We love serving here in the temple, including associating with wonderful patrons and temple workers.  I know the work we do here is true and necessary to be done for everyone who has lived and who will ever live upon this earth.