Ripples...

You never know how your life will affect another persons.  It may be something you say to them, or it could be just the way you live, what you believe or in Jake's case, the way you pass on to your new life.  This is the touching story of someone who let goodness back in their life:

Hi Rose!
You and I don't know each other but...
I would like to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I can only imagine. Best wishes for you and your family.

The reason I am writing you is to tell you how much Jake and Mike have impacted my life. I never met Jake, but through him my life has been changed.

For a long time I was really struggling with a lot of things. Lots of self pity, Lots of why me, and lots and lots of sin. I would describe myself as hard hearted, to say the least. I didn't want anything to do with church, the atonement, the Savior, eternal family, none of it. When I think back to who I was and how I felt just a few weeks ago I cringe. I never want to be that person again.

This is the part that you get involved. You and sweet Michael. I knew a little about the situation, and really felt sympathy for your family. Which was strange because I hadn't felt anything but selfish and greedy feelings for countless months. It was nice to worry about someone other than me.

One night I was whining to Mike about trivial things in my life. He was very sweet about it but basically told me to stop whining and realize the beauty in life. We talked about him and his faith. A lot about life, God, death, family. Things of that nature.

Through Mikes faith when Jake left, I really started to remember what it was like to have faith in something. He would tell me that everything was going to be okay, because he knew that this separation was temporary. That he had an eternal family and would one day be with him again.

That night, I sat and I cried for hours. It was the first time I had felt emotion like that in a long time, and it felt good. Something about this situation softened my soul to the point that I could feel again, something positive. Just a little at first, but growing steadily. It was enough of a shock to me that I wanted nothing to do with the person that I was. I wanted to be different, and better.

I went back to church again because of it. I haven't missed a week since. I have started repenting because of your boys. All of this is with the most honest and pure intentions I have ever felt, because I want an eternal family too. I want to have the faith that goodbye is not goodbye, but a see you later.

Rose, I really can't begin to explain how different things have been. I don't know how you feel, but I do know, that if nothing else, I want to raise my children like you have raised yours. To rely on faith, and the Atonement, the plan of salvation, and most importantly to trust God. I don't think you will ever know how many people have been effected by the good example your boys have set. I am forever thankful. I was telling my Bishop in one of our weekly meetings of Jake and what really was my wake up call, and how I really wish that it had been different for your family. I didn't understand why, and he told me ever so sweetly, that heaven needed a hero.