Sunday, July 8, 2012
5:40 PM | Posted by
Unknown
A couple of years ago Elaine and I made new friends with the Kahele family. They started to attend our Gospel Principles class and Alan just caught on fire. His wife, Jolanda, is a returned missionary and has been active in the Church all her life. Alan drove a garbage truck and was known for being a really hard worker. You couldn't hope to find a more personable and faithful friend. He would gladly put himself in any form of inconvenience to help someone else out of their troubles, and smile and be affable, and be grateful he had the chance to be of service to someone else. Alan is a real jewel.
After a number of months Alan got baptized, and when the time was right, I ordained him to the Melchizedek Priesthood. In a year's time they went through the Laie, Hawaii Temple, and he never skipped a beat, continuing to serve and be humble, and was always hungry to learn more. He had found the joy the Gospel of Christ and had embraced it with all his heart.
In April we got word that Alan had been admitted to the hospital with two forms of cancer. Everyone played down the seriousness of his illness, so I assumed he would be back at Church once he was finished with Chemo. Every week we got favorable reports in Priesthood Meeting. Then a couple of weeks ago I went to Church and was told that Alan had died the night before Father's Day. I was stunned. Evidently the bone cancer was pumping dead blood cells throughout his body and it poisoned him.
Yesterday was the funeral. I helped to dress the body, I played the music for the funeral, and I gave the first talk, using the Laborers in the Vineyard parable as the text. Alan truly was one of the laborers whom the Master hired in the 11th hour.
I used to take issue with the notion that those who were hired at 5:00 p.m. were paid the same wage as those who were hired at 6:00 a.m. After knowing the joy that the Gospel had brought into Alan Kahele's life, I can now honestly see why the Master of the house paid them all the same. I would never begrudge any blessing to someone as completely changed and devoted as Alan had become. He has been such a good example of how I need to become, and I have had the Gospel my whole life. I am one of those 6:00 a.m. laborers, and so grateful that I have had the time I need to become a better person. Alan was just able to do it infinitely faster because once he caught the vision he did whatever was necessary to better himself and reconcile himself with the Lord. I can't use the word envy, but I can honestly say I eternally grateful for the Lord's goodness to my friend Alan Kahele; he deserved it.
After a number of months Alan got baptized, and when the time was right, I ordained him to the Melchizedek Priesthood. In a year's time they went through the Laie, Hawaii Temple, and he never skipped a beat, continuing to serve and be humble, and was always hungry to learn more. He had found the joy the Gospel of Christ and had embraced it with all his heart.
In April we got word that Alan had been admitted to the hospital with two forms of cancer. Everyone played down the seriousness of his illness, so I assumed he would be back at Church once he was finished with Chemo. Every week we got favorable reports in Priesthood Meeting. Then a couple of weeks ago I went to Church and was told that Alan had died the night before Father's Day. I was stunned. Evidently the bone cancer was pumping dead blood cells throughout his body and it poisoned him.
Yesterday was the funeral. I helped to dress the body, I played the music for the funeral, and I gave the first talk, using the Laborers in the Vineyard parable as the text. Alan truly was one of the laborers whom the Master hired in the 11th hour.
I used to take issue with the notion that those who were hired at 5:00 p.m. were paid the same wage as those who were hired at 6:00 a.m. After knowing the joy that the Gospel had brought into Alan Kahele's life, I can now honestly see why the Master of the house paid them all the same. I would never begrudge any blessing to someone as completely changed and devoted as Alan had become. He has been such a good example of how I need to become, and I have had the Gospel my whole life. I am one of those 6:00 a.m. laborers, and so grateful that I have had the time I need to become a better person. Alan was just able to do it infinitely faster because once he caught the vision he did whatever was necessary to better himself and reconcile himself with the Lord. I can't use the word envy, but I can honestly say I eternally grateful for the Lord's goodness to my friend Alan Kahele; he deserved it.
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