It is hard to express the feelings of my heart, but I want to say that our family has been blessed by the life of our little niece and cousin, Gianna Rae. It amazes me how much this angel spirit was able to accomplish in her short life and how deeply she touched and changed my heart.
From the moment Gianna was born we began to see blessings and miracles great and small in our little family and in our great big Stubblefield family. And since being here we have learned of many more miracles that made her birth and her time with her family here on earth even possible. These special experiences and miracles strengthened our faith.
Listening to words said as the family gathered together and the whisperings of the Holy Ghost as I have thought about this sweet girl and her family, I see life differently. I understand better how important and what a miracle gift it is to gain a body and have earthly experience, I see brand new the great and peculiar blessing of the sealing power, of being born into and living together to create an eternal family. Life just feels different...more precious, more fragile, more heroic, more sacred than it did before.
I know that I am not alone. As we have read blogs and talked together I know that blessings like these have been given to each member of the family. And along with these individual blessings I think the family as a whole has been blessed. My sister-in-law, wrote on her blog that she feels greatness here in this family and I truly feel that stronger than ever as we have been blessed by these precious experiences.
I still think about how much Gianna gave her family, and how much her family, especially her Mom, gave to her every day. I think that Gianna's Mom and Dad have more to be proud of than many parents who are able to watch their children grow old. Their little girl did the work her Father sent her to do and touched the lives of many eternally. Because of Gianna we are reminded that we are all in the Lord's hands and what a miracle and a gift every moment of life is. I feel in my heart that I want to make my life as meaningful and fulfill my mission as valiantly as she did.
I am sad that I was not able to meet Gianna in life, but I am thankful for her courage, for her desire to participate in her Father's plan, to gain a body and to spend time with her family. I am thankful for her faith and her brilliant spirit as she has forever touched my life and my family for good.
3 comments:
Thank your for your sweet post about my little angel. Hearing your perspective of things has helped me broaden mine. You have given me more to think about; being proud of Gianna because of all she accomplished in such a short time. I guess I hadn't really realized what a blessing it is that she touched so many lives by what has come to pass. She has also brought about some possible missionary opportunities as well. It is truly amazing what this kind of sad event can do for the good and for the testimonies of others.
What a beautiful testimony. The plan of Salvation really is what we have to hold onto in our lives. It has been so humbling to read about Gianna's life and passing. We are so grateful to be part of that big Stubblefield family too!!
Deb, your words are beautiful. I know that I don't know Emily and Aaron very well, but I am so full of sympathy and love for them. They have been asked to do something few of us will ever have to. But I believe that they, along with their four children, will enjoy through eternity a bond that few of us will understand because they've gone through this trial together in mortality. I feel it is such a priceless blessing at times like this, maybe more than any other, to have the fulness of the gospel. To know that their sweet baby is not lost forever, but quite the opposite. She lives and loves them very much. Our prayers are with the whole family. xo.
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