In Loving Memory...

"At moments of crisis and challenge, some choose to abandon faith just at the time when it most needs to be embraced. Prayer is ignored at the very hour when it needs to be intensified. Virtue is carelessly tossed aside when it needs to be cherished. God is forsaken in the all-too-human yet mistaken fear that He has forsaken us.

"The truth is that our only safety, our only security, our only hope is to hold fast to that which is good. As the mists of darkness gather around us, we are only lost if we choose to let go of the iron rod, which is the word of God."
(November 2006 Ensign)


Jake Garrett Waterlyn: April 26th, 1991 ~ June 19, 2011



This past weekend our family suffered a most tragic loss. My baby brother Jake, who was just 20 years old unexpectedly died. He was taken from us quickly and we were given no time to say our final goodbye's. Our hearts have been breaking, we are in shock, and we are all still trying to search for understanding. At this extremely emotional and difficult time we are asking that our friends and family keep us in your prayers. There is nothing we need more then love and support. At times like these your faith can be tested, but I believe our faith has been strengthened. I absolutely know with not a doubt in my mind that we will be with my sweet brother again. I know that our family is Forever and that through the covenants my parents made in the Temple that our family is Eternal and death will only separate us physically for a time. We feel so loved for the outpouring of support and love that we have felt from so many. It is times like these that people's true characters come out and we are so blessed to have so many amazing people in our lives to lift us up in our time of need.

My husband and I were on vacation in Pebble Beach, California with my parents when we received the news. I know that the Lord knew that we needed to be there for them at that time. Seeing my parents receive this news and process this grief has been the most traumatic and devastating experience of my life. But at the same time this experience has been beautiful as we have literally felt the prayers in our behalf and as the spirit has overwhelmed our hearts.

I am trying to wrap my head around the events of the past few days and I just can't seem to. It is hard to understand why someone so young would be called home to our Heavenly Father. But I do know that the Lord has a purpose and he has a plan. His timing is not our timing. I believe Jake has a mission to full-fill on the other side and that he will be serving and teaching those that were not blessed with the knowledge of the Gospel in this life. I feel that Jake is at peace and I know he wants us to all feel that for him and for ourselves. I was able to go with my parents and brother Ryan to see Jake yesterday. I was very unsure if I wanted to go, but once I was there I could feel his spirit, I know he was there with us, and I know that he wanted to comfort us.

I am so grateful for my amazing family, for the family I was blessed to marry into, and especially for the incredible blessing of having the knowledge of the Gospel, of The Plan of Salvation, and of the ability to be with our families in this life and in the next through Eternal Marriage. I am truly blessed and I know that through the Lord our hearts will be healed until we can hold Jake in our arms again.