Embrace. ♥

it's often hard to see just how beautiful we truly are
when we keep comparing ourselves to others.

I wish I had that body.
I wish I had different hair.
I wish I had different clothes.
{the list goes on trust me}

are we ever going to be truly satisfied 
with who and what we are?
I know it's hard to feel confident in ourselves
when society is defining beauty as the complete opposite of what we look like.
Since when does society have the power to determine the "it" look?
These bone-skinny women and toned men 
do NOT define beauty.

Let's be serious right now.....

How many of us actually look like that?!
I don't even think models really look like that.
Photoshop is such a big thing in the advertisement business,
that nowadays it's hard to determine whether something is real or not.
But what everyone fails to realize,
is that WE made things this way.

WE are the society

NEWSFLASH PEOPLE
We are all different.
we come in different
shapes,
heights,
colors,
and 
we each have our own personalities and thoughts
No two individuals look, act or think same.


So let me ask,
how is it that we let others decide what 
were supposed to be and look like???
We were all created in the image of God,
but that does not mean we must be clones of one another.
We've created these ideal images in our head ,
and somewhere along the way we forget exactly how unique we truly are.

So what if someone doesn't like the same things as you.
So what if you're not a twig.
So what if you don't agree with others opinions.
We were all meant to act, think and be different from one another.
That is why our Father in Heaven has given us all different talents.

I've said this before, and I will say this again. Confidence is the most attractive quality an individual can hold.
The world is your runway.
{ YOU GO GLEN-COCO }
But in all seriousness,
Be true to yourself and others will love you.
Embrace your talents.
OWN that runway,
and let others see what makes you beautiful.
{ totally need to bust out to One Direction now }

And if someone tells you that you're not good enough,
not strong enough or not pretty enough.
Get rid of them.
You don't need critics in your life.
You're capable of doing everything and anything you set your mind to.
Let motivation and determination fuel your desires.

Surround yourself with people who value you,

rather than take advantage of your friendship.
it's okay to want, and even expect, 
some reciprocity in most relationships.
You deserve to feel valued and appreciated.

When it comes to romantic relationships,
Don't settle for someone who shatters your self esteem
just because they give you attention.
You are meant to be loved and cherished.
Trust me, no one in their right mind will hurt someone they care for,
And if they do, they need therapy because that's a BIG no.

I recently came a quote that I absolutely adore.
{ i know, there's tons of quotes i love. they're all so great! }
Anyways, it goes like this:



Wait for the one who will lift you up, 
and cherish the moments he/she has with you.
Someone is out there seeking and even waiting for you.
All you need to do is continue to be worthy of meeting him or her.

We are all special in certain ways.
Why hide that?
Don't be someone you're not in order to fit in.
Society doesn't get to tell us what's beautiful or what we should be doing.
Only you can define yourself.
Will you conform to societal views,
or 
will you show the world your own version of beauty?

You are all daughters and sons of a loving Father.
You are beautiful, smart, funny and destined for greatness.
All you had to do is
believe in yourself.
and trust in yourself.

SIDE NOTE:

This video is absolutely spectacular.
Watch, 
Share 
and more importantly,
Apply into your lives.

Feed One Another ♥

{ feed one another rather than starve }

" A man, who had suffered a near death experience, 

anxiously waits his fate in the next world.

An escort meets him and decides to show him life in the underworld and heaven.

Together they enter the underworld.

A great hall where a candle-lit banquet was laden with bowls of 

delicious foods, finest wines and most dazzling desserts.

Both sides of the table filled with diners for as far as the eye can see.

No being had elbows, instead they had four foot long eating utensils 

strapped to each arm which made it impossible to feed themselves.

Their faces yearning for nourishment and their bodies sucked dry.

They begin to make their way into Heaven,

Which so happens to be another great hall with a long candle-lit banquet table topped 

with a similar incredible spread of delicious foods, drinks and sweets.

The difference between the two halls, was that this room was filled 

with healthy and happy diners who were enjoying each others company. 

They, too, had long eating utensils, but they were feeding each other. "

 

Has anyone else noticed that we live in an extremely egocentric world?

I'm serious, think about this.

When was the last time you did something for someone else?

No strings attached, but because you genuinely wanted to.

I understand that we all have our own schedules and what not,

but the world does not revolve around only us.

We live in a community where each individual plays a key role.

Kinda like....... in an orchestra. 

Were all different instruments, and together we make beautiful music.

Take a minute and reach out to those who surround you.

Whether it's your neighbor, the girl sitting next to you, or even your roommate.

You never know when someone needs you in their life.

I'm a strong believer of everything having a reason.

I'm more than positive that the people in my life are meant to be here.

Everything on this earth, and everything that happens to us, 

is, again, for a reason.

My mother would always say,

"Not a single leaf from a tree falls, unless it's God's will"

And it's very true.

Heavenly Father knows what he wants us to be.

He knows where we need to go and who we must come across with in order to do so.

My all time favorite analogy is the one of the Currant Bush by Hugh B Brown.

It is from an article which was published in the New Era back in 1973.

I strongly encourage you all to read it if you have not done so already.

Click Here to Read Hugh B Brown's article " The Currant Bush"

Heavenly Father is our gardener and he may shape us as he wishes.

Trials don't mean he doesn't love us.

They mean he wants to strengthen us.

Regardless of what you're going through,

take a moment to reach out and help another.

You don't necessarily need to do something for them,

but get to know them or ask them about their day. 

You will be impressed at how blessed you will be.

Live a life filled with harmony among others,

rather than ignorance.

We can all benefit from each others talents.

 Regardless of,
remember that you {only you} create your own misery.

On another Note:

General Conference is next weekend.

I invite you all to attend and listen to inspired messages.

Learn & Apply Rather Than Ignore.

I had the pleasure of teaching during Relief Society today,

and after much thought and prayer,

I decided to have a lesson on the Atonement.

And it REALLY got me thinking about a lot of things.

We came to Earth by choice.

Having no knowledge of what to expect.

Receiving a mortal body meant that we were accepting Heavenly Father's Plan.

I don't know about you guys, but that says a lot about our character before birth.

What exactly is his plan though?

We live in a world where our choices lead to our own happiness or misery.

And even though we may sometimes find ourselves on the correct path,

trials will always come our way.

Isn't it ironic that trials,

something that causes us all to break down or sometime even cry,

 are actually for our own benefit?

People often say that we learn from experience,

but how do we know what the lesson is?

How do we know whether we made the correct decision or not?

The asnwer is simple.

Did you feel the Spirit? What did it testify to you?

If your decision, whatever it may be,

leads you to do Good, then you are on the correct path.

But you know what.

Sometimes we are faced with a trial where our heart and personal desires

override the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

What then?

We all make mistakes, some are big and some are small.

Regardless of, Heavenly Father knew some of us would stray.

That is why he gave his only Begotten son, Jesus Christ,

Who went to the Garden of Gethsemane,

and with love for us all, took upon him all of our sins, and bled from every pore.

So that we may one day, return to our Father's presence.

Our mistakes are forgiven through the Atonement.

Our sins are washed away through repentance.

President Joseph F Smith taught the following:

" Men cannot forgive their own sins; 

they cannot cleanse themselves from the consequences of their sins..."

{ Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F Smith (1998) 99-100 }

 The Repentance process is not a punishment.

But rather a blessing.

Joseph F Smith also taught that,

"By the Atonement of Jesus Christ the sins of the repentant shall be washed away,

though they be crimson they shall be made white as wool. This is a promise given to you"

I remember a friend sharing this story during Sacrament back in 2011.

It's a little long but definitely worth the time to read.

 There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending Seminary in Utah . In this Seminary classes are held during school hours. Brother Christianson taught Seminary at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's Seminary class.

 Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.

 One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"

 Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."

 Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"

 Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

 "200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

 Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

 "Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson.

 "Well, I can try," said Steve.

 "Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said. Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."

 Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."

 Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.

 Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"

 Cynthia said, "Yes."

 Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

 Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

 Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"

 Joe said, "Yes." Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.

 And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott.

 Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. Then Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

 Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"

 Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

 Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

 Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

 Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

 Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

 Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

 Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

 Jenny said, "No."

 Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.

 By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

 Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.

 During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

 Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

 Steve asked Bro. Christianson,
"Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

 Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.

 A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

 Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

 Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."

 Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."

 Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

 "Yes."

 "Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

 Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.

 The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?

 Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

 Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

 Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

 Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Bro. Christianson, can I help him?"

 Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"

 As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

 Brother Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”.

 Most of us walk on this earth imperfectly.

But it is through the Atonement of Christ that we are able to

be forgiven of our mistakes and errors.

The Atonement allows us to hold on to the Iron Rod once again.

Repenting allows us to face the direction we were placed in when we were born.

We are all entitled to the blessings of the Atonement.

It truly is a gift.

But like the story above states, 

many of us live a life where we don't apply or use the Atonement in our lives.

Instead we continue to walk imperfectly and stray from God's plan.

We choose to live miserably, and continue to make incorrect decisions.

Repenting does not show a sign of weakness.

Rather, it demonstrates that we have control of the natural man inside,

and a desire to follow Christ and our Father in Heaven. 

What decisions will you make?

Would you rather live a life filled with happiness or misery?

The choice is solely up to us.

No one can make the decision for you.

Question is,

What decision will you make?

 

Scales are evil and Disney Music rocks.

I am very annoyed at the moment.

{ pretty sure this is an understatement actually }

I never thought that fixing a website would take an entire day.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this rage at the moment.

The BYUI website has been down ALL day.

I mean really????

During Finals??

The most important time of the semester.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

It amazes me how something so small can throw us for a loop.

Technology has REALLY become an essential aspect in our education.

Finals week is stressful enough, 

we don't need the worry of the webpage on our minds as well.

Dear Help Desk, FIX IT NOW!!!!

On another note,

Reana and I decided to weigh ourselves.

Pretty sure the scale was off.

It's not like were weight crazy but after much dedication 

to being healthy, it appears that we've gained ten lbs???

We're pretty sure that scale was OFF!!!!!

See the image below??

That was almost us. Crying because of what the scale said.

Reana said something really amazing though.

"The number doesn't change how you look in the mirror."

HOW GREAT IS THAT??

During this spring season,

many people are getting ready for the summer season.

Shorts, Swimsuits and the Hot weather.

Let us keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat.

The scale may say one thing but your body may look completely different.

We are both happy at the progress we see, rather than what the scale says.

And that's all that matters.

We decided to distract ourselves from the scale by listening to Disney Music

and dancing around like nobody was watching.

It was such a blast.

I'm going to miss this girl like crazy.

{ I secretly hope she stays up here for next semester }

Conference was this past weekend.

{ AKA the Mormon Super Bowl }

Words cannot describe just how amazing it was to hear 

from leaders of our Church.

The week before I dedicated to writing down a few questions of my soul

and listened to conference with an open heart and mind.

So many questions were answered and so much insight was received as well.

This is seriously a bland post.

BUT I have nothing else to do. 

{ sad I know }

I go home in four days.

Holy Crap!

The semester ends in four days!!!!

Boy does time fly.

Take a Risk

"...You don't have to see the whole staircase,

 just take the first step"

I am in awe of this marvelous quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

Of course, he was referring to integration, but lets apply it to our lives.

There are many times were all afraid of making the wrong decisions.

I've had to make a few recently and I had been wrecking my brain about it for a while.

I was struggling on something mainly because

 I was so confused on what I wanted and what was best for me.

I find my self bouncing back and forth, worrying whether I'd make the correct one.

I'm super positive we all go through this though.

How can we make this better?

The answer if simple:

YOU CAN'T.

That's what makes life oh so mysterious for us.

We never know what's going to happen in the future.

All we must do is worry about "today" and not worry about what's going to happen in the distant future.

Thinking about the future will get you nowhere.

Trust me, I've tried.

If we constantly live in a state of worry, were going to miss out on what's going on around us.

We can deal with the future when it comes around.

In the meantime, lets enjoy the moment.

Live in today and hope for tomorrow.

Life is way too short to second guess ourselves.

I honestly feel that the reason we second guess ourselves is 

because we live in constant fear of the consequences we may face.

FEAR is NOT Life.

Fear will only make you miserable inside and out.

Who wants that kind of lifestyle?

I know for a fact that I don't!!

Don't worry if thing don't turn out your way.

I found another quote the other day that 
may be something I will begin to do.

It says,

"When you have to make a hard decision,

FLIP A COIN

Why? Because when the coin is in the air, 

you finally realize what you're hoping for."

Crazy how true that sounds right?

It's almost as if you're adding a time bomb to your decisions.

I think it's a GREAT way to make the small decisions in life.

For the bigger "life chaging" ones,

turn to God. 

I know I know, it sounds soooo simple and like such a Primary answer.

But really think about your connection with our Father in Heaven

He will never ever steer you wrong, and I know we are all aware of it.

Be in tune with the spirit and seek for an answer to your prayers.

I promise you  it will work.

Whatever the situation, 

take control of your life.

Don't let fear keep you from living your life.

No one on Earth knows you better than yourself.

So don't let others influence your decisions.

You are an individual.

Not a puppet.

Take a Risk.
You have the ability to make yourself happy.
Just don't wait for the moment where you look back
and regret never having made a choice.
James E Faust once said that never having made a decision,
is a decision in itself.

On Another Note:

I am Happy.

Like genuinely happy.

{ not to rub it in anyone's face or anything }
But life cannot get any better right now.

Ok, I can do without the stress of finals.

But I'll deal with it.

General Conference in 5 days.

Finals begin in one week.

and

T-12 Days until I am HOMESWEETHOME with my family.

I am extremely stoked to see them all and spend some serious quality time

with my siblings.

Good things must end.

Three Weeks.

Holy Cow. 

The semester ends in just 3 weeks!!!

I'm so not ready for Finals

BUT I am ready to see what these next three weeks 

have in store for me.

I am sure these next few weeks will feel like they've flown by.

This week is filled with cheer activities.

{I can't believe the season is over}

We have the Spirit Showcase, Banquet and Championships.

Here is a video of our latest performance.

{ See if you can spot me }

The team has seriously come a long way.

We had some ladies who were first time everything

and they've come to be an inspiration to me.

They are seriously so determined and passionate,

it's insanely awesome.

Oh yes, And there is more good news regarding the Cheer team.

I have been offered the Leadership Opportunity on campus as Spirit Coordinator.

I accepted graciously and am now looking to fill the positions of coaches for

the Cheer, Dance, Color Guard and Stunt teams here at BYUI.

Should be quite the experience, and I am extremely excited!!

I also can't forget 

-Easter-

I was remembering today the many times 

my parents had my siblings and I find the eggs.

We would fight for the ones with the money in them.

haha. oh how time has flown by.

Then following week will be packed with

 Finals preparations and Conference weekend.

I am SO stoked for conference.

{ I've been reading a few previous Conference talks in order to prepare }

And then the final, and third week, if Finals and 

I fly home on the 12th in the Evening-ish.

I am soooo ready for vacation.

A lot has happened this semester.

I've met some amazing friends,

I've gained a deeper love for my chosen career path

AND

I personally feel as if I've matured and became a lot more independent.

I think I've reached the point in my life where I want to be serious.

I think it just comes naturally, but in all honesty,

I really just want to get started with life and see where it goes.

I have a plan set.

Step 1. Finish my Bachelor's at BYUI

Step 2. Take the MCAT

Step 3. Apply for Medical School

Step 4. Graduate with a PHD in pediatrics.

That's my career choice.

 I wish to become a pediatrician.

As a child, I spent a lot of time at the doctors.

Always getting sick and what not.

But, Dr. Nuñez was always an inspiration to me.

He was seriously THE best doctor I ever had.

He always knew what was wrong with me.

My mother could call him up, explain what I had 

and he'd call the pharmacy in order to prescribe some medicine for me to get better.

I wish to be as talented as he was.

I also want to meet the man of my dreams and get married some day.

What girl doesn't want their own Fairy Tale ending
with Handsome Prince included?!

But all with Heavenly Father's time.

He knows what's best for me and when I'm ready to receive his blessings.

In the meantime, all I can do

is be a true follower of Christ so that 

I may be entitled to all the blessings he has in store for me.

Life truly is a journey.

I say we take it one day at a time.

Step by step.

And Follow the path Christ has marked out for us.

I know it sounds so easy considering the trials we each have to face.

But with Faith, Love and Hope in our hearts,

we can conquer the world if we wanted to.
Like they've always said,
"Where there is a will, there is a way."

Remembering........

Life is filled with wonderful and sad memories,

Although the happy thoughts always override the saddest of memories,

there are a few that you sure seem to never forget.

A couple of years ago, my family experienced a great loss.

One of which has altered my entire family.

My baby cousin, Allan, had passed away in a car accident.

No words can ever express the sadness my heart feels whenever I think of him.

As the years go by, it only gets easier to think about, but the question remains the same.

WHY? 

I sort of found my answer a while back.

Here it is:

In the teachings of Joseph Smith, pages 196-197, we read

"“The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth."

The scriptures teach us that children are innocent, pure and filled with the Love of Christ.

And because of this, they are without knowledge of sin and saved by the blood of our Redeemer.
 ( D&C 29:46)

That's what truly ever comforts me.

 Knowing that he had been reunited with our Father in Heaven,

instead of dwelling in the spiritual realm waiting for someone to do work on his behalf.

Although I continue to question why such a trial had to come into our lives,

I rejoice in knowing that he had been reunited with our Heavenly Father

and that there is no doubt he is looking down upon us all smiling 

with that beautiful face we all came to love and now miss.

I came across this little excerpt a few days ago.

It's from the 1918 Edition of The Improvement Era and it states,

“President Joseph F. Smith, the sixth President of the Church, reported: ‘Joseph Smith taught the doctrine that the infant child that was laid away in death would come up in the resurrection as a child; and, pointing to the mother of a lifeless child, he said to her: ‘You will have the joy, the pleasure and satisfaction of nurturing this child, after its resurrection, until it reaches the full stature of its spirit."

Death is never an easy concept to grasp.

But I am grateful for having known such a wonderful soul in my life.

Allancito may have been only six, but he taught us all the true meaning of life.

I remember each and every one of his birthday celebrations at our home in Chicago.

He treasured the little things in life and made us all remember what it was to be a child.

I will never forget those chubby little cheeks and those long eye lashes he would bat in order to get some otter pops. Or as he liked to call them. "Bolis"

I will also never forget, how nervous he got when
 I asked if he'd be my escort for my Quatillion.
He'd walk around the house asking my mom if he had to dance to the "cha cha"
I miss the laughter and smiles he brought to our home.
I also miss those little spider man light up shoes he adored.

I know Heavenly Father has great plans for us all.

I also know that each hardship and heartache we face, is for our benefit in one way or another.

All we can every truly do, is trust the Lord that everything will be okay.

And live a righteous life so that we may one day be reunited with our families in Heaven.

I am extremely thankful for the Priesthood which makes family sealings possible.

I am also thankful for the temples, which allow us to do work for the dead.

I miss my cousin a lot. He was like my little brother, 

but I know without a doubt that he is not suffering,

instead he is rejoicing in eternal glory with our Heavenly Father.

May he forever Rest in Peace.