Leonel Mateo
My baby nephew Leonel Mateo died before he was two months old. It broke our hearts. When Nephi’s brothers and sisters-in-law lost their father, they “ mourned exceedingly ” and that led them to be angry at God for their sorrows and difficulties. I’ve been trying to avoid that, but have been acting in the opposite extreme and have been avoiding mourning in general. I wish he didn’t have to leave. I treasured every moment I got to hold him. Living with my sister and her family meant I got to hold baby Mateo in the precious moments when his parents needed to focus on other things. Holding him was the purest, simplest joy my soul has felt. Holding him meant that I was holding purity. Looking into his eyes taught me again and again that we don’t start at birth. Burying him taught me that we don’t end at death. The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are imperfect and sometimes make stupid mistakes, but we hold on to the knowledge that FAMILIES ARE FOR