We are losing a friend we were just starting to know. Brett's wife has been posting news here. He came out of his emergency surgery two nights ago with no brain activity. He is on life support and his wife is now just waiting for his brain to stop functioning so that his organs may be donated.
Michelle and I, and our entire ward, spent the Sabbath yesterday fasting and praying and grieving. It has almost been more than we can bear to think of Hillary and Avery now continuing through life with him who is their father and husband, and perhaps it is mostly for this reason that our tears are so heavy and so frequent. We will sorely miss the chance, though, too, to have enriched our friendship with him and gotten to know better of the goodness so readily apparent to everyone who knew him. As someone mentioned yesterday in our ward prayer, we know of God's plan of happiness, but sometimes it doesn't seem so happy. We exhausted ourselves last night in our grief, but I awoke this morning only to find it still with me. New thoughts or angles on the situtation seem to bring fresh pain, and I can find little comfort in it now.
The Bishop paid loving tribute to him yesterday in Fast and Testimony meeting, telling us that all he need ever say to anyone when he speaks of Brett would be to paraphrase slightly Alma 48:17:
"Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Brett Stern, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."
I cannot think of a better tribute that might be paid any man than has been paid to him. I am stirred by this thought, grateful that I knew him, and hopeful that when my turn comes my readiness might approach his.
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