What is This Thing That Men Call Death?

What is this thing that men call death? This quiet passing in the night? ‘Tis not the end but genesis ...Of better worlds and greater light

O God, touch Thou my aching heart. And calm my troubled, haunting fears. Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure . Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change. With recompense for vict’ry won. The gift of Him who loved all men. The Son of God, the Holy One. -President Gordon B. Hinckley

I have to tell you the story behind this. It was late last night and I couldn't sleep. I wasn't really upset, but I knew that my dad's anniversary was tomorrow and I guess I was looking through songs on youtube as I reflected. I stumbled on to this. The story behind this story is really sweet. Our past Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley was asked by Janice Kapp Parry to visit her niece who was stricken with cancer. He visited with her and gave her words of encouragement, along with this poem. Her niece's favorite verse is verse two. ( As is mine) She knew that she was dying, and asked President Hinckley if they could use the poem on her funeral program. He said yes. She passed away two weeks before the Prophet. Janice was compiling a songbook and had written President Hinckley the week before his death and had written to ask his permission for his poem to be made into a song. He passed the next Saturday, and she was heartbroken that she hadn't received his permission. That Monday, a letter came from Church Headquarters, and it was the letter from President Hinckley, giving her permission. This was the first and only time that I know of that this song was performed.