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Several years ago my wife and I  attended the funeral viewing of a man who was the father of a friend. Upon returning we viewed on TV an interview of the actor Patrick Swayze by Barbara Walters. Mr Swayze had been diagnosed with pancreas cancer and has since died.  The next morning  I taught a lesson  on Lazarus being raised from the dead by the Savior. So, within a twelve-hour period, my thoughts were centered on the concept of death, but also life.

“I love you, Molly! I´ve always loved you… Its amazing, Molly. The love inside – you take it with you. See you. See you. Bye.”

Those are the closing lines to the movie “Ghost” starring Mr Swayze. During Mr Swayze  interview two things he said caught my attention.  One) He said he thought his wife, (married for 33 years), and he had a special connection. “Destiny”,  was how he described it. He implied that their spirits were connected before this life.  And two) That he believed that there has to be something after this life. The above line from the movie, “Ghost”, about love living beyond the grave, was quoted by Barbara Walters. It was clear that Mr Swayze knew he was dying. But, as he stated, “Everyone is dying!” So true!

I am sure that, ” the purpose of life” has become something of which Mr Swayze often pondered since his diagnosis. While his subsequent death is tragic, it is no less tragic than the impending demise of us all. We too are under a “death” sentence and there is nothing we can do to change it. Even Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by the Savior, just starved off the inevitable. The scriptures are silent as to the life of Lazarus after his miraculous healing. But one thing is for sure: later, he died!

I wanted to say to Mr. Swayze that night,  “There is life after this one. There was a life before this one. There is hope! The apostle Paul said it best:

” Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?… But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians: 15: 51-55, 57-58)

I’m sure Mr. Swayze found out, as soon as he took his last breath, that the love inside, you do take it with you! And the reality of sharing that love is only made possible through the atonement of the Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ! What a wonderful and hopeful thought!  May we live our lives such that the atonement, in all its glory, takes full measure on our souls.