Nearly everybody meets family and friends when they get there. Don Piper even wrote a second book about the people who met him when he arrived. They were all people who had had a significant role in his becoming a Christian or growing in his Christian life.
Some that were met showed a joy and peace that was greater than what they had exhibited in this life. They were all young, vigorous, well, and whole. While some visitors, like Don Piper, were met by a lot of family and friends, others were not so blessed. Rebecca Springer met just her brother-in-law initially but met a few others in the course of her visit.
Richard Sigmund does not tell of meeting anyone personally but did witness several others arriving to large companies of friends, relatives, and parishioners. He did see his grandparents later in his visit. Dale Black was met by a group of people in white seamless robes. He didn’t recognize any of them but knew they were there to greet him. Mary Neal was also met by a group of people she didn’t know. Abby Cleghorn was in a motorcycle accident and met her mother and sister, both of whom told her it was not her time and she must go back. Some of the others were also told by a relative that he or she needed to go back.
Dale Repert was surprised to see his maternal grandfather because as far as Dale knew he had lived a questionable, immoral life. So apparently he had repented and changed before he died. Colton Burpo had a similar experience in meeting his great-grandfather. This was a surprise to his grandmother because she never knew of her father ever being saved. But it turns out he had gone forward at a special church service and accepted Jesus into his life the night before he was killed in an auto crash, something Colton’s grandmother never knew. Ian McCormack turned from being an atheist to seeking forgiveness from God the last few seconds of his life. He didn’t meet anyone except Jesus, but he told Jesus he would come back to Earth because his dear faithful mother would never know of his change (until she got there herself and met him!)
Besides family and friends, some of the witnesses met other famous people. Going through the list of witnesses I have read, there is a long list of people they met in heaven: Abraham, Mary mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Paul, Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and others. One person thought she saw Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross. Several saw different evangelists from more recent times.
Colton Burpo saw Mary kneeling before the throne and standing by Jesus. He said she still loves Him like a mother. Dean Braxton saw Mary doing something with living water, but can’t describe it. When Marvin Besteman met Peter, he said Peter had a strong handshake, warm bluish eyes, a nice smile, a strong normal nose, and dark wavy hair down to his neck. He seemed to be about fifty-five years old and dressed like Marvin thought a fisherman of Peter’s time would have been dressed. Dean Braxton saw Peter and James as commanders of a heavenly army that moved with each commandment Jesus gave. He saw Paul and said he had a part in what goes on in praise and worship here on Earth, having something to do with dancing and praising. Rebecca Springer said Martin Luther was in the prime of a vigorous manhood. His great intellect, spiritual strength, and powerful physique made him a capable leader even there. She said John Wesley spoke of God’s love and how much He had done for us. Colton Burpo said John the Baptist is “really nice”.
So whom do you imagine you will see? With all of eternity, you will have time to meet many from previous generations as well as from your own.