Montana Grandma

I'm back from Utah. I got home on Saturday. Back to life but somehow I feel different. I will never be the same again.

I was there for my dad's final night on this earth. I was there when he left this world behind. I was there when all 7 of us children and my mom dressed our dad in his temple robes - when we sat in the room and just felt him so close to us and we remembered and we laughed and we cried. I was there when we payed tribute to his life, when we sang "Love at home" to him one last time. When we sang "Faith in Every Footstep", when my little Preston sang "I am a Child of God" with all his heart.

Did you know that the word Casket means treasure box? I didn't either until the funeral director told us that. How fitting that a beautiful blue treasure box would hold the body of my dad - one of my greatest treasures.

No, I will never be the same. My heart grieves and rejoices all at the same time. How can that be? As I sit here writing this and thinking about my dad my first thought is that the world has lost one of the finest men ever born. But then he left behind such a legacy and such an incredible posterity. That is how my dad will continue to bless this world. Through us - his posterity - as we walk with faith in every footstep - as we continue what he began - as we serve as he served - as we submit to the will of the Father as he submitted - as we keep sacred our covenants. That is what he would want.

He was a "whatever" man. What do you want for dinner daddy? Whatever is good. "Where do you want to go on our ride? Wherever will be fine. What kind of ice cream do you want today? Whatever as long as it is ice cream.

But I think his advice and counsel to us would not be to just do "whatever" but to do "whatever" as long as we are being obedient and strong and faithful and living true to the covenants we have made. And as long as we are doing the BEST we can do. If we got a C in school it was okay with him providing it was the best we could do. He always required our best effort - and whatever the outcome of that it was okay. He loved fully and completely. He served fully and completely. He lived fully and completely.

When he died in the early morning hours of October 31, 2009, he left behind an incredible peace in the home that he and my mom share. It is a feeling that cannot be described but must be felt. I felt it all the moments I was there after his death and I know that when I go home it will still be there. When one was in the presence of my dad there was always peace. I'm so thankful that even in his death he left peace.

There is a scripture in Mosiah that is the epitome of who my dad is...Mosiah 3:19 says "...putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

My dad submitted totally and completely to the will of his Father. He became literally as a little child at the end of his life. He was submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love and willing to submit to all things which the Lord saw fit to have him do. He submitted with gratitude and grace and love.

And somehow now I know deep in my heart and soul that my dad lives on and that he is still teaching me and guiding me and is close. I know that as I know that Heavenly Father and the Savior live and teach and guide and love me.

Thank you daddy! I truly was born of goodly parents.


Brothers embrace


Grandma comforts David



Some of the grandkids and great-grandkids


The 7 of us with Mom


Roddlee and Mom


One soldier solutes another
Ryan (my nephew) and Daddy are the two soldiers in the family