Darlene Friedlander's husband died this week.  (Written 5 January 1997).  Darlene is a good member of the Church.  After they got married 17 years ago her husband joined the Jehovah's Witnesses.  He was very good to her, but the Jehovah's Witness/Mormon combination was a very difficult situation for both of them.  Darlene is a good temple-goer, and Bernie, her husband, was a faithful Jehovah's Witness.

Bernie got cancer last year.  Darlene has taken very good care of him.  Bernie, like all good Jehovah's Witnesses, believed that at death he would pass into oblivion, and cease to exist until the resurrection, if he was one of the lucky ones to be resurrected.  (They believe that only select people will be resurrected).  Darlene assured him that he would not just go into the cold, dark grave and cease to exist.  She then began praying that Bernie's mother would be permitted to come get him.  Bernie got worse, and soon lost the ability to speak.  Three days before his death, however, Darlene came into his room, and he asked, "Where did she go?"

"Who?" Darlene asked.  Bernie tried to answer, but could only say, "Mo.. Mo…"

"Do you mean your mother?"  Darlene asked.  Bernie nodded his head in the affirmative, and then glared at Darlene angrily as if to say, "How dare you to be right and me wrong!"

What a shock death must be to some people.