The leaving...

 Yesterday I attended yet another funeral.  This time a 42 year old Mother of 5 children.  Her bout with cancer was swift. Her oldest child was 18 and the youngest 9.  It's a kindness and very compassionate, at least in my book, that we do not get to choose the time we, or others, depart this life.

I met Kimberlee when I was working in the Stake RSP and she was working in her Ward.  She was just so sweet and wonderful.  Although I didn't look like, or resemble her Mother, she always wanted a MomHug and I just loved that association.

She mentioned in one of the notes she sent me that the hardest thing to deal with, in knowing she was going to die, was watching her family have to deal with that reality.  I wish I could find that note but I did find this one written 9/1/18

Awe! You guys are so good to me! When I was real sick before chemo started I couldn’t read and feel the spirit in the scriptures bc my body was dealing with such a physical thing and my focus wouldn’t work. I felt terrible about it not knowing I had cancer...I remember thinking is this how so many people feel, bc I’ve always been able to feast! I love the scriptures!!! Couldn’t read or focus on anything during my first bit of chemo so a dear friend came and read to me every morning, even when the chemo knocked me out...but I felt the scriptures she read me, I could feel them when I didn’t have to focus so hard to read...she had some struggles too and the spirit prompted me to ask her to do this and it’s been such a gift from the Lord for both of us! My mind is better now and so I can read to myself at night too but we are still doing the mornings during the week. 

Before everything hit I had a sacred experience with Heavenly Father and guidance from the spirit! After this tender experience the spirit told me something hard was coming but there would be great purpose behind it. I hang on to the words that there is great purpose behind it and completely trust in the beautiful hands that bear me up...how does anyone do this without the gospel? If my kids come to know their Father in Heaven and Savior personally for life it will all be worth it!!! This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through but it has purpose! 

I love your thoughts on covenant path, I was invited to go up to girls camp and speak at the end of the faith walk...the tree behind me was decorated like the tree of life and I talked about the love of God and sticking to the covenant path...shared stories about the joy the covenants have brought me throughout my life and that I would hope that they would give it everything to and have my happiness too! It was a sacred experience! My Eliza was there so that made it even better! I love and appreciate you so much! When we first crossed paths I knew you were someone I would just love! Thanks for making me ponder and take time to remember my blessings. Love you dearly! Kimberlee

I will miss her sweetness and goodness and remember with fondness our association.  

Kimberlee-- this has to be one of the most beautiful bridal pictures ever.  

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Here are two quotes that I love...

2002 -talk by Elder Maxwell- The Holy Ghost   here    (quote below from his talk)

We do not control what I call “the great transfer board in the sky.” The inconveniences that are sometimes associated with release from our labors here are necessary in order to accelerate the work there. Heavenly Father can’t do His work there, with 10 times more people than we have on this planet, without on occasion taking some of the very best sisters and brothers from among us. The conditions of termination here, painful though they are, are a part of the conditions of acceleration there. Thus we are back to faith in the timing of God, and to our need to be able to say “Thy timing be done,” even when we do not fully understand it.

AND

by Henry Scott Holland (27 January 1847 – 17 March 1918)