God's Plan is Perfect

About a month and a half ago I was preparing my Relief Society lesson.  I came across a phrase that has stayed with me ever since.  The phrase was "God's plan is perfect".  I have always known that the plan that our Heavenly Father had prepared for us was perfect, but in recent weeks this thought has given me so much peace and comfort.  My little brother Josh drowned three weeks ago this past Friday.  I remember when my mom called me and told me that Josh was missing.  On the outside I was freaking out but on the inside I felt so much peace.  Honestly, I was surprised that I felt this way. I felt bad that I wasn't distraught as many people thought I should be.  I know that this is because of the peace that the gospel brings.  I know exactly where my brother is.  This gives me so much comfort.  A lady that works with my mom came up to us at the viewing, she was so sad.  She is not a member of our church, but when she came up to us she said "I'm so glad that you have your religion and that you know where Josh is".  I too am grateful that we have our religion, that we know of God's plan, that we know where Josh is and that one day we will be with him again.
I know that God has a plan for each of our lives.  I know that sometimes we do not understand why things happen the way that they do.  This is summer I have been doing an internship in Provo.  I had planned on staying in Logan for the summer, but I didn't get any of the internships that I applied for there.  I accepted the job in Provo and as a result I got to spend the whole summer with Josh.  This was the longest time I had spent with Josh since before I left on my mission.  Josh left on his mission a month after I got home from mine, so by the time that he got home last October it had been almost three and a half years since we had really been together.  When Josh got home I was in Logan going to school and then in January he started at BYU.  I was so excited to spent the entire summer with him because it had been so long since we had gotten to spend a lot of time together.   We got to go to institute together and just hang out.  Josh and I would go on a walk around BYU every Sunday.  We talked about dating, politics, spiritual things and just life in general.  I could talk to Josh about anything.  I know that God gave me this opportunity to spend this summer with Josh.  I also know that this was not the only reason I came to Provo.  I've really loved being in Provo this summer.  I've had some of the best roommates that I've ever had.  In the three years that I've been home from my mission I've never had visiting teachers.  This summer I was blessed with the most wonderful visiting teacher! God knew that I needed her in my life right now. God's Plan is perfect.
My little sister got married in June.  It was a perfect day.  Our entire family got to be in the sealing room together.  They weren't planning on getting married until August but because of schedules and school June was the best time for them to get married.  Once again God's plan is perfect.

I'm completely at peace with Josh's death, but that doesn't mean that I don't cry or miss him.  I think about him everyday.  Some things just aren't the same.  I can't drive around with him while we sing Taylor Swift at the top of our lungs.  I can't get talk to him for hours or have wet willy wars with him.  But know that all of this happened for a reason.   I read something the other day that said "When someone we love becomes a memory those memories become a treasure".  My memories of Josh are a great treasure.  I know that God has another plan for Josh at this time and that he is much needed on the other side.  I know that God loves each of us and because he loves us so much he sent a Savior to earth.  I know that through our Savior's atonement everything that seems unfair in this life can be made up in the next life.  I know this because God's plan is perfect.