Josh

This post is for my super awesome nephew Josh.  He has made a huge turn around in his life.  He has allowed the experience that we have gone through to touch his life for the better.  

NATE.

JOSH.

I wish you could all know a couple of my favorite guys.  Josh who is currently attending USU and his brother Nate who is at Rocky Mountain High School.  Both young men are incredibly strong and courageous.  They have something very special about them. They are leaders in everything they do.  When you are around them you don't want to leave their presence, it is special, a quiet strength.  It is something you can't quite put your finger on but it is powerful.  Josh, more the people pleaser, is energetic and fun.  Nate, also fun but a magnet.  You will never see him without many people around him because people feel his spirit and light.  He radiates!  He is far more mature (than me:))... more mature than his age and truly one of the most awesome young men I know! A large part they are this way is my sister, Michelle, and her husband, Rob, and how they raise their children.  All 5 of their children have this "specialness" about them.  They hold strong to the truths of the gospel and their characters testify of it.  Their oldest daughter, Elizabeth,  is unlike ANYONE I have known.  Her love for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is like none other I have EVER seen.  In an adult or child.  She has a gift, I call it the gift of "getting it"...She has an eternal perspective that will continue to bless her life forever.

Back to my nephew Josh.  He was, like a lot of teenage boys, wondering where life was taking him.   Right before Doug was diagnosed he emailed me randomly, telling me that he loved us and felt like he should pray for us.   (uh alright? I was like,"is there something wrong with us:)) Josh was just in tune.

He later wrote Doug a very touching letter. I got his permission to share some of it with you. 

"At the hospital last week I realized something that has changed my life forever.  I realized that you were more content about life than I was.  You were the one suffering from cancer and you were a more content person than me.  This really made me realize a few things that changed me.  The gospel had to be true otherwise you would not be as confident about the situation and whatever might happen as you were.... 

I feel bad because I know part of the reason you had to go through this was for me.  It has saved my life and I mean that.  I don’t know how I could ever thank you for what you have done....

I will wear this Livestrong wrist band until I go on my mission to remind me of what you did and what I need to do... I spent the last hour crying in thankfulness for my new found Live strong life.  Tonight I officially lock the chest to my past life and look to the future but I just wanted to thank you before I throw the key away.  You’re awesome!  May we go forth on our missions in life and live strong!"

Josh, you have truly inspired us.  We are stronger and better because of your influence.  Way to continue in your  new found life!

Love you! Baber
I said from the very beginning of this whole cancer thing, that miracles were going to happen.  Things like this don't happen without people's lives changing and our testimonies growing stronger.  We even had a friend tell us he started praying because he was  so worried.  During trials,  our lives change for the better, if we let it!  It is His plan.