The Passing From This Life
Greetings Everyone,
It is hard to believe we are halfway through April!! We were having beautiful weather here in
Provo, until last night and today!!
Someone must have tattled on us, because we saw it to go from the high
70's to 30's over night. That explains a
lot as to why my legs have not been happy; and after I had such a great day on
Wednesday I was able to walk around the Dollar Store for an HOUR!! I know the warm weather will return. I just have to remember, "and this too
shall pass."
Last week was an interesting week. I attended the funeral of a very sweet lady
named Joan Hofheins. I first met her a
year ago last December. She saw me at
church and stopped me and told me how she admired me for being at church every
Sunday. I simply told her Satan and
destroyed my family and he tried to do the same thing to me for many years and
I realized I needed to be in church every Sunday. No matter how hard it is, I go. She gave a small gift and said "Bless
You"
In January 2013 we all switched schedules at our
chapel, and we were on the late schedule and she was on the early
schedule. But often times she came with
her son and daughter in law to our service.
Every Sunday when she was there and saw me she would wave and
smile. Sometimes she would hobble along
the bench and come over and put her arms around me and say, "I love you so
much." When she wasn't at church I worried
about her. So when I heard of her
passing, my first thought was the sadness of losing a friend. It was someone I didn't even know that well,
but I loved her spirit, her kindness and her love. It radiated from her. However, another
friends said, "It is not sadness, this is a celebration of life!! Her
journey here is finished."
When I read her obituary I was totally amazed at some
of the things she had done in her life.
She has been awarded the Silver Beaver Award with the Boy Scouts. I have heard of the award, but it is not one
that is handed out regularly. She worked
with the scouts for many many years helping to prepare them for their Eagle
Scout and life's mission. I also learned
she offered free piano lessons to the children in her neighborhood. Their only payment was to do an hour of
service in return. There were also many
miracles in her life like when she was a young child and had pneumonia. In those days you had to be in an Oxygen
tent. They did not expect her to live,
but with a blessing from the Priesthood she did and went on to live a full
packed life.
I arrived at the chapel at 10:20 (the funeral starting
at 11) expecting it to begin to be full.
I was wrong. The parking lot was packed!! When I made it into the chapel 3/4 of the middle section was reserved for
the family, and during the seating some sat on the stand. The entire chapel, over flow and part of the
cultural hall was packed to the rafters.
She had 10 children in total and several of them spoke. One gave a life sketch, others talked of her
spiritual side, her nurturing side, her humorous side.
One son spoke of his having to return home from his
mission early due to health problems he began having. He spoke fondly of his mother of taking care of
him for the next year and to help bring him back to a normalcy in life. He married and had a family, only to have his
health issues to return. My heart went
out to this man. One spoke of how his
mother came and took care of his wife when she encountered health issues. They had formed a special bond on their time
here on earth. The service she had given to so many showed.
I knew I was doomed when we began to sing the opening
song "There is Sunshine in My Soul."
The power of the voices singing
this song brought me to tears. I could
tell the love these people all had for their mother, grandmother, great
grandmother, friend and sister. By the
start of the second verse I managed to squeak a few words out. My squeaks were nothing compared to those who
raised their voices that day in song. This
must be what it is like in Heaven I thought.
I have been thinking about Sister Hofheins and her
passing all week. I think most people
think you are born, you live, you die, and then you are out of here. There is often much mourning, but for Sister
Hofheins this was indeed a celebration of life, not an end. Not they we will
all not miss her, but I know this is just part of the life cycle.
Sometimes we forget, because we are simply mortals
here on this earth and don't remember all we had before we came. I know that because I have had too many
experiences to believe anything else. As
I was contemplating that life circle my thoughts immediately went to Easter and
the upcoming activities and celebrations
I have suffered much pain in my life, most in my
heart. I have not had alot of the
physical pain--until now. Sometimes it is hard.
But every time I wonder if I can take another step or go another day I
only have to think of what Christ went through for me. I know the pain I go through is NOTHING compared
to what He did. And I know if He could
handle the pain so could I, because He did that for me. I think of the betrayals, more pain but a
different kind, it reminds me of my own life and the hurtful and painful things
that were said and done to me. When I
began to connect to family members, I heard the stories and it saddened me, and
yes I felt betrayed by those who were supposed to love me and I was entrusted
to. You hear a story once you dismiss
it; a second time it makes you wonder; a third time brings on a whole other
form of "pain." Forgiveness
and those that have betrayed you.
Sometimes I think that is harder than any other pain to go through, but
know it is possible and worth it when you can overcome it.
Through all the pain there is also joy and I think of
His resurrection, the opened tomb and He is gone. That for me is the greatest of the joys. To know we all have Eternal Life because of
this and one day all the hurt and pain we have on this earth will be no more.
Yesterday at church I watched a young baby named
Violet play during Relief Society. I
love her little personality that is coming about and the fact that she is
beginning to recognize me. She sees me
and smiles and it melts my heart. I
asked Violet if she was ready for a visitor this week. She smiled but her mom looked at me like "Do
you know something I don't know?" I
asked Violet if the Easter Bunny was coming and she grinned. Her mom said, "Oh I need to think about
that." I love the Easter Bunny the
same reason I love Santa, it's not about the presents or how much you get, but
about the love and the giving.
I believe there is room for both in our holidays. I often think of Matthew 25:40 "And the
King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me." I do not believe you can do something for someone without some
kind of love for them. I love doing
things for others, and maybe it is because of a love for them, but I also know
it is because of that love for Christ.
That is what I center my life around service to help me get over all the
heartache and pain. It may be selfish on
my part, but it is helping me get to where I want to go. I can't do it with a
hardened and painful heart and this is the only way I know to do away with the
pain.
I love this time of year and the reflection it brings.
I adored Sister Hofheins and her cute smile and radiant love. As much as I loved her, I also have come to
have a great love for Violet. She is on
a different end of the life sphere than Joan but she still brings me such joy
every Sunday when I get to see her.
I hope this week we remember those who have passed on
and the joy they brought into our lives.
It is the celebration of this time of the year that one day will bring
us all together again. Even with all my
hurt and pain I can find good things with my Mom and Dad and others. My Dad used to take me fishing and having
fishing contests with him and let me win.
When we were younger my mom was very dedicated to her children. The hours she spent making cookies for our
classes amazes me today. My grandfather
Poppy, when I saw a picture of him in all smiles, I saw just a bit of joy he
had while he was here. Such a hard life,
but that picture made all the harder memories vanish and I felt a love for him
like I never did.
I know there is more to life than what we have here,
and it all comes becomes of the atonement and resurrection we celebrate at this
time of the year. I have also realized
it is okay to play "Easter Bunny" and thank others for the service
they always seem to do.
Happy Easter everyone!! Love Laura
No comments:
Post a Comment