An inspiration to me.

Today would mark my brothers 49th birthday!

He has been been on his "mission" for 32 years!

Today I think of my brother Leon. I do not post often enough about any of my siblings. Today I wanted to share about one of my older brother's since it is the day we celebrate the day he was born.  I did not know my brother well. I was eight years old when he passed away. My brother was very young when my Dad and his mom were divorced. So he never lived under the same roof as me and I hardly knew him in this life. All I know and have learned about him is through those I love that also loved him. I have grown to love him in a way that no one really can understand except for me. I have tried often to express it to people I love but it goes far deeper than words could ever express no matter how I try to put it into words. 

In a way I look at his death a bit parallel to the Savior.  NOT completely of course because our Savior is the ONLY one who could and was chosen to walk the path He did. I believe our Savior Jesus Christ is our brother. Although I know my brother would never want me to compare him to the Savior. His the short life he lived from what I have learned of him he radiated the love our Savior.  I parallel the relationship  I never personally lived and knew the Savior and His teachings while on this earth. 

As with my brother Leon I never actually knew him while he was on this earth. I am sure as a baby I met him and maybe played with him but I don't remember any of it. But like the Savior. I learn about Him through study and prayer. I may not have seen His face or see him take upon the sins of the world. But I know He lived and I know He loves us and I know His purpose was far greater than my own.

With my brother. I don't remember him. But it wasn't until his death that I began to fully understand the meaning of Christ's restored gospel. It wasn't until I learned about him that I was able to understand my brother and his earthy mission and his desire to serve our Heavenly Father and our Savior in a way that would not allow him to stay on this earth any longer. His call was to leave was greater than what he could do here.

What I learned about my brother. He had learning disabilities that made things more difficult. (I know  a lot of people struggle with similar things today) but the one thing I learned from those we both love is that his ultimate desire was to serve our Heavenly Father and teach the gospel although he is serving that mission on the other side of the veil. I feel I have come to understand not only Christ's gospel better it also helps me understand that the way I share the gospel here matters and that he relies on me to do Heavenly Father's work on earth to help complete his work on the other side. 

I won't explain further because it  would require a lot more time so not to confuse those who may choose to read this and not understand the gospel as I do. But I am grateful for my brother and the example he is to me. From his death and his example I  felt inspired to serve a full time mission for my church and hope to serve another with my husband in the future.

If anyone would like to learn more. I love to share what I know and how I feel. I wish everyone would at least give the missionaries the opportunity to enter their home and hear the gospel message. No strings attached. I know that no matter who would take that opportunity whether member or non member alike. Active or or not active would be uplifted and inspired by the spirit and the message they share even if they decide not to commit to the church whether by baptism or by reactivation in the church.  

But I love it with all my heart just as I love my brother and especially my Savior. So as I am thinking of and missing my brother very much today and although I never really "knew" him personally. I know he is a son of God. That he is loved and that he lived just as our Savior did thousands of years ago. I believe the Bible to be the word of God as well as the Book of Mormon and that we have a living prophet and apostles today.  It fills my heart to the core in every way and I am a better person because of it's teachings and I have my brother Leon to thank in some way for it. So for his birthday I share my testimony with others because that is what he would do. 

Happy Birthday Leon!