Emil John Tvrdy December 29, 1927 - February 3, 2003 Talk given by Garn F. Johnson
Funeral Service for Emil John Tvrdy February 8, 2003 Twin Falls, Idaho LDS 1st Ward Chapel Twin Falls, Idaho
My response to life sketch and my memories of Emil. 1st the old farm house in Buhl. Three beautiful girls. An immaculately clean house. Emil made me feel so comfortable and welcome. 2nd a new house now. Poor struggling college student. Girls older. House same clean and beautiful. Same welcome and comfort. And Always a box of meat to help a poor college student. 3rd Most of all I remember living just around the corner for a few months. What a joy it was for me. The house was still as clean as ever. The girls were gone, but the welcome and the love was the same. Emil always seemed so happy when I came to visit. It seemed that he never wanted you to leave. Our family Saturday lunch date at the Royal. Glade and I bundled up removing snow from our driveways. Just getting together with family on special occasions. It was just for a few months, but I have such wonderful memories. Myrna, Vicki & Terry, Pam & Kevin, Terri & Dennis, grandchildren and beloved family members and friends, We have come here together this day to show our love and respect for Emil Tvrdy, one of God's sons. There are so many emotions, so many thoughts in the hearts and minds of all of us here today. It's a hard thing to have a loved one die. At times like these words seem so inadequate in trying to express our feelings. We search for the right response, we hold loved ones close and tears flow freely. Memories flood our minds. So many memories. Good times and hard times. Sometimes we laugh as we remember those happy times. And then again the sadness and heartache of losing some one so dear sets in and tears begin to flow. Russell M. Nelson said this about just such occasions: " the only way to take sorrow out of death, is to take love out of life" and so it is with Emil. Where there is so much love for someone, the sorrow is all the greater. What is this thing called death anyway? Death is such a lonely and cold word to describe this circumstance of life which all of us will someday experience just as Emil has. Webster tells us that death is; a dying, the end of life, destruction. How terrible and depressing if that were true. Obituaries use words such as, departed, passed on, returned home, (I like that one, returned home), but departed what? Passed on to where ? Where is the home they have returned to ? Listen to the words of an ancient American prophet: Alma 40 ~ 12,14 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection - the spirits of all men as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow..14 until the time of their resurrection. O yes, it is true, the mortal body which lies here before us no longer functions, but Emil is not dead. He lives ! His spirit is free. It is really the beginning of a new life in a new and wonderful place. His spirit has departed from this temporary mortal body. He is taken home to God who gave him that spirit, and he has passed on into paradise to await the resurrection when spirit and body will once again be reunited into a perfect immortal soul. Listen to the definition of that place where Emil resides: Paradise is the abode of righteous spirits, as they await the day of their resurrection. Not the Lord's eternal kingdom, but the way station along the path leading to eternal life, a place where the final preparation is made for that fullness of joy which comes only when body and spirit are inseparably connected in immortal glory. TMM 4:222 The scriptures give us clear and certain understanding of just how this happens. The prophet Moses tells us in Genesis, Genesis 1:27, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And Abraham adds this clarification: Abraham 5:7, And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man's spirit), and put it into him; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Ecclesiastes further explains: Ecclesiastes 12:7 then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Can you see the plan of a loving father in heaven. Do we not pray as the Savior taught us in the New Testament, " our Father who art in heaven." If then God created us in His image, and put in us our spirit, and our spirit leaves the mortal body and returns to the God who gave it life, is there not reason to rejoice in knowing that Emil is alive and happy and in that state of paradise spoken of . I testify to you that is true, and you Myrna and all the family can take comfort in that wonderful knowledge that you can be together as a family again. One religious writer has put it this way: The creator of the universe knows all things from the beginning and has given a law to all things. He employs his wisdom in perfection of the stars, the planets, the solar systems, and arranges them on an eternal schedule that can be measured in split seconds. Nothing in all his creations was ever made without a plan or a purpose. And since man is the highest expression of creation, it is ridiculous to assume that his appearance and existence upon the earth is an accident resulting from the response to his environment. Nothing in this world which concerns the creation of man takes place by accident. RTD pg 81 Even though we know all these things to be true, and we believe Emil is in a better place, it is still hard to let go. Richard L Evans made this observation; " It is true that our interest becomes divided, as those we love leave us. Some things hold us here, and some things pull us away. And always and ever we live with memories, with remembrance, with some of the same questions, the same searching for assurance of the everlastingness of life. Each departed loved one is a magnet that attracts us to the next world. There is this to be said, aside from all other assurances: that no loving father would plan, in his providence, that we should learn so much of life and learn so much to love only to let us lose both life and those whom most we love. Life is its own evidence of plan and purpose. And everlasting life is no more a miracle, no less possible, no less real than this life we live. And so to those who morn and those who remember, we would reaffirm the faith, indeed the solid assurance, that personality and truth and intelligence are perpetuated, and that memories are not only for the past, not only for the present, but also for the future not only for what was, but also for what will be. All reason supports the everlastingness of life, as well as the assurance that God has given. In John 14:2 the savior gives us this beautiful message, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.. That where I am You may be also". And Boyd K. Packer adds this insight: The idea that mortal birth is the beginning of life is preposterous. There is no way to explain life if you believe that. The notion that life ends with mortal death is ridiculous. There is no way to face life if you believe that. When we understand the doctrine of life, then things fit together and make sense........ We are the children of God, created in His image CR Oct. 1983 And so it is that we must now say goodbye for a season to this good man. One of Fathers noble sons. He was such a wonderful part of our lives, each in our own way knew him and loved him. There are many there in that world of spirits to welcome him home. I know that Glade is one of them. Can you not see Glade taking Emil by the hand and showing him the way home. And there to meet him, his father and mother and many family members and friends who have gone on before him. And what would Emil say to us now that he knows what life after death is like. Maybe it would be something like the word to one of the church hymns:
God be with you til we meet again By his counsels guide, up hold you With his sheep securely hold you God be with you til we meet again God be with you til we meet again When life's perils thick confound you Put his arms unfailing round you God be with you til we meet again God be with you til we meet again Keep love' s banner floating o'er you Smite death' s threatening wave before you God be with you til we meet again Til we meet, till we meet, til we meet at Jesus' feet Til we meet, til we meet, til we meet at Jesus' feet.
Emil husband, father, grandfather, brother, and beloved friend, May God be with you until we all meet again |
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