Greg Cook 1946-2019
This Life Has Meaning

Our existence on this earth is not random and it does have meaning. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe we are on this earth to achieve certain things and to prove ourselves.

This is all contained in what we term the Plan of Salvation, sometimes called the Plan of Happiness.

There are many descriptions of this. Use the following links to find what description means the most to you:

The Plan of Salvation from Come Unto Christ website
The Plan of Salvation from True to the Faith
The Plan of Salvation in the Missionary Pamphlet
The Plan of Salvation from Gospel Topics

Death Has Meaning Too

Death is simply the step after this life. We all must take this step at some point. Unfortunately, Greg took this step alone, without me.

(See: Death is a Step in Our Progression, Not the End of Our Existence, an article I updated when I was still writing for LDS.About.com.)

Greg is currently in the spirit world with other disembodied spirits who have progressed from earth life.

He has work to do there. We have been assured by modern prophets that those in the spirit world are very busy doing missionary work and teaching other spirits the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is central to this Gospel.

I don't think Greg's death was premature. I believe he was called to the spirit world because he was needed.

Some people coast through life, Greg wasn't one of them. He was always anxiously engaged in a good cause. He was very active in doing the Lord's work here on earth. I don't doubt he is in the next life doing the Lord's work there.

This may not be true of everyone.

One Latter-day Saint Scholar's Musing

I've always felt Duane Crowther's speculation compelling:

                In contrast, there are hosts of other people who have become stagnant in their mortal progression.  They live life from day to day, never growing or changing in their relationship with God.  Though God is aware of them and is concerned for them, they are not the valiant laborers in his kingdom. They have risen to the level of existence which satisfied their daily needs – they will accept life, and death, as it comes. They react to external conditions, but fail to act of their own volition to improve their relationship with God.  The status of the earth is unaffected by their presence and conduct.  By eternal standards their standing before God will not be altered whether they die tomorrow or twenty years in the future. Can it be this group who, in death as in life, drift into the spirit world without summons as some external factor in their environment affects them?  Do they die from sickness before their time because of lack of faith to be healed?  Or do they die in accidents or war because of lack of desire to seek and inability to obtain divine guidance and protection?  They approach mortal life with disinterest and unconcern and fill no real mission here; they will carry the same attitude into the spirit world, and have little effect on the divine program there.  Who can say whether they die at their appointed time, or go into the spirit world as a matter of personal happenstance, without divine calling?  And what difference does their time of death make to them in the eternal program?  None, apparently. What does it matter if they die twenty years before their time? Duane S. Crowther, Life Everlasting, Bookcraft, Inc. 1967, pages 64-65.

Success According to Ralph Waldo Emerson

We all want to be a success in this life, but we all define it differently.

This is how Greg defined it. This is a plaque Greg had framed and it has always hung in our home. It hangs here now:


Greg was, and is a success!

Death at the "Age of Man"

From the Book of Mormon, we know that Jesus Christ visited the Americas after his death and resurrection. The narrative of this visit is contained in 3 Nephi.

I believe Greg's death has special significance because of this narrative.

Like in the Old World, Jesus Christ selected 12 Apostles to administer his Church on this continent. In 3 Nephi 28:1-3 it says:
1 And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye adesire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
2 And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.
3 And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye are aseventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my bkingdom; and with me ye shall find crest.
Greg had been 73 for only two months when he died. He lived to the "age of man" just like Christ's Apostles were allowed to and then they were allowed to be with Christ, their hearts' desire.

Greg is now with Christ, after having lived to the "age of man."

I believe he is at peace, and so am I.


This is the end of this tribute.

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