In my time of dyin', don't want nobody to mourn

Remembering my Grandmother, who passed away on 28 May 2011, at age 101. Here is the Eulogy I delivered at her graveside service:

For much of my youth, I thought that Grandma was a strange old lady. She was very tidy, very exacting, and everything had to be “just so.” When I was on my mission in the Netherlands, I came to realize that even the young Dutch housewives were that way. Grandma wasn’t weird; she was very Dutch. And I am proud of our Dutch heritage.
Pethronella Sophia Alberts was born in Utrecht, South Holland on Sunday, 27 June 1909, to Peter Cornelis Alberts and Mietje Rhynsburger, just a year after her family had joined the Church. Grandma writes that her father was a Sunday School teacher, but was unable to attend that morning.
Peter and Mietje were disowned by both sets of parents for being baptized and uniting with such a wicked organization. Because of this, they decided to journey to Zion. When Grandma was 2 years old, her father left the family and journeyed to Ogden, Utah to prepare the way for them. He worked for Brother Dalebout, whose son later served as Stake President in Long Beach and Mission President in the Dutch Mission.
In Peter’s absence, Mietje, her brother Lawrence, and the rest of the family endured persecution, but remained faithful. Finally, after two years, when Grandma was 4, the family was reunited in Ogden.
Nellie was a sickly child, and was not allowed to participate in many activities as a youngster. She writes that she had every known childhood disease, plus a few more, including appendicitis, scarlet fever, and influenza. She continued to struggle with various illnesses for the rest of her life. It is amazing that such a sickly child would live be nearly 102!
She was an A student, but fell far behind in third grade because of the appendicitis. Her efforts to catch up caused her to become anxious and ill, and led to a nervous condition.
The Alberts were a hard-working family, but they also took time for fun, and had weekly family activities. Grandma writes that friends were always welcome in their home, and they enjoyed get-togethers of all types.
The Church was central in the life of the Alberts family. They attended Primary during the week, and their Sunday meetings. Frequently the Elders were called to administer to an ailing family member, and they often gave inspired counsel along with the blessing. These experiences helped to strengthen Nellie’s faith in her Heavenly Father. She writes: “I, myself, have been saved and healed many times by the power of faith and the laying on of hands by those in authority.”
Of her baptism, Nellie writes: “It was in the Ninth Ward that we attended church. On 26 January 1918, a cold Sunday afternoon, I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I went into the waters of baptism feeling cold, nervous and shaky, but came out of the waters feeling warm and well.”
Because of her poor health, Nellie was not allowed to attend Mutual, which made her feel cheated. But she did attend her Sunday Meetings, and sang in the choir. At age 18, she was put in charge of the Mount Ogden 12th Ward Junior Sunday School, with 24 teachers and 200 children. With characteristic modesty, she said “We had the best Sunday School in the Stake at that time.”
She was no recluse, though, for she had many friends, and was involved in many activities. She worked in the notions and jewelry department of a store for $9 a week, an impressive sum back then.
Grandma first saw Grandpa at a missionary homecoming, and knew that he was the one. They were introduced at a dance, and soon began dating.
Nellie and Rulon were married in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity on 27 March 1930. They were blessed with four children:
Wayne 1 Oct 1930
Ronald 17 Apr 1932
Donna 4 Oct 1933
Gerald 24 Apr 1935.
In typical orderly fashion, they were born every 18 months. Grandma writes that they were blessed financially and continued to prosper as their family grew. Vacations, education and family activities were an important part of their home.
On 14 January 1944, Grandma became a citizen of the United States. At that time she had her name legally changed to Nellie. She thought it wasn’t right to be called by one name and be on the records by another.
Grandma held many callings in the church, including:
Visiting Teacher
Primary Teacher
Secretary of the YWMIA
Manual Counselor in the YWMIA
Stake Junior Girl Advisor
Beekeeper in Mutual
Relief Society Literary Teacher
Relief Society Welfare Counselor
Secretary of Ward Welfare Committee
Ward Choir Member
Stake Relief Society Theology Advisor
Sunday School Teacher
Ward Checker (family history)
Temple Worker
On 1956, the Los Angeles Temple was dedicated. Grandma and Grandpa served as tour guides, then were set apart as temple workers, which they did until they left on their mission in 1973.
In fact, when I think of Grandma and Grandpa, one of the first things I think about is genealogy and the temple. They felt the Spirit of Elijah back when the name submission process was an ordeal. Grandma and Grandpa gave me one of my best Christmas gifts ever: my first Book of Remembrance, which I still have.
In my younger years, Grandma and Grandpa began taking vacations to many exciting places. They loved showing their slides to friends and family alike. We may have joked about watching the long travelogues, but it was a good education. Years later, the slides continued to provide entertainment for our family.
In 1972, Grandma noted that she and Grandpa had done endowment work in all 15 temples in the world. What joy she and Grandpa must feel now with 134 operating temples.
Grandma and Grandpa were called to serve a mission in Nauvoo in 1973. They loved Nauvoo and their service there. Their mission was an example to their grandchildren, many of whom served missions themselves. Of course, this required that they sell their beautiful home on Sawyer (which is still beautiful, and still a nice area). After their mission, they settled in Huntington Beach, and it was nice to have them so close.
We have many happy memories of swimming, eating lunch on the patio and flicking peas over the fence, and playing games or watching shows with them. And the ice cream.
Shortly before Grandpa died, Heidi and I visited him, and he told us not to forget Grandma. We did our best to remember her, and I will always be grateful that we were able to visit her twice in Folsom. At age 95, she was grateful for her long life, but the deepest desire of her heart was to be with Grandpa again. At her 100th birthday party, I’m not sure how aware she was, but I know that Grandpa knew, and that pleased him.
As I look back on Grandma’s life, several memories stand out. And as I read her personal history, there were some key things that stood out in my mind.
The first was family. Grandma loved all of us, and took pride in our accomplishments. She was grateful for the things we all did. It was not always evident in her responses, but I believe that her greatest joy was her family. She was proud of her grandchildren, and mentioned each of us in her personal history. We enjoyed our visits with Grandma and Grandpa.
Of course, Grandma’s love for family extended far beyond the here and now. She and Grandpa began a great work for our ancestors. And their example of temple service lives on in our family.
I mentioned her attention to detail. This was not only true in her housekeeping, but also in the beautiful needlework she did. She tatted an altar cloth for the Los Angeles Temple, a work of art in itself. And who can forget our Christmas ornaments, each with a five-dollar bill inside? I treasure the framed doily we received one Christmas.
Grandma loved board games and jigsaw puzzles. They were a chance to visit with people and have fun.
Above all, Grandma’s testimony of the restored gospel stood out. After our son Robby died, we held an extended family home evening to share our feelings about Heavenly Father’s plan. Grandpa and Grandma each bore their testimonies, and said, in essence, that they had lived a full life, and they were not afraid of death, because they knew what came next. A year later, Grandpa passed away. Who would have thought, in 1995, that we would not be gathered here again until 2011?
From Grandma’s personal history, in her own words:
“I feel grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for the opportunity to serve. It is a comfort and a joy to be active. It is a help in raising our children. It serves as a guide and milestone in my life.”
“We know that through our prayers and keeping the commandments, the Lord blesses us.”
“It is nice to be busy and feel useful, but sometimes we do get very tired.”
“We continue to work at the Los Angeles Temple from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. We arise at 3:45 a.m. and get back home and to bed at midnight. It is a long day and is hard work, but very rewarding. With all of our church meetings, visiting and home teaching, and entertaining, we keep very busy.”
“We are thankful for our many blessings and grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“We take the Church News and the Ensign and I read them from cover to cover, besides reading the scriptures. I don’t seem to have time to read many books.”
“We go to the temple once a month and do 3 sessions. I always look forward to it. We go to all our meetings and do our Visiting and Home Teaching every month.”
“Rulon keeps busy with different things at the Family History Center. We are happy that we can still take care of ourselves and keep up with all of our assignments. We work at the Family History Center a lot and we enjoy it.”
“We have been privileged to live another year. Having the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are blessed in many ways.”
“We thank our Father in Heaven that we are able to take care of ourselves.”
“We are still able to do our Visiting and Home Teaching. We enjoy doing it.”
“We do all of our church assignments and keep the commandments. We have many blessings.”

I am grateful that Heavenly Father's Plan for our eternal happiness has been revealed to us. It truly takes away the pain of death. Of course we miss Grandma, but know that death is not the end. We will be together again, and I know that Grandma will be eager to greet each of us when our turns come to pass through the veil.

Sittin' in the morning sun; I'll be sittin' when the day is done

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.

I have a very good friend, one who has been a sacred and true friend for many years. This friend has taught me many important truths over the years, and has given me many precious insights. This friend has shared stories that have become an integral part of my life.
I treasure the moments that I have spent with this wonderful friend. I treasure the spirit and the wisdom that this friend has blessed me with.
This friend celebrates a milestone birthday this year; so significant that the celebration began last week.My friend is now 400 years old. If you haven't guessed by now, my friend is the King James Bible. I hope that is a friendship I share with many people.
To mark this great birthday, I will read the Bible in its entirety this year. It is a long, rewarding journey that I have undertaken many times.
I love the scriptures. I love each of our Standard Works that we as Latter-day Saints recognize as sacred scripture: the Bible, both Old and New Testaments; The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ; the Doctrine and Covenants; and The Pearl of Great Price. Nothing compares to them. Nothing I have read has influenced me more.
Of course, nothing compares with the spirit and the power of the Book of Mormon. It truly is the cornerstone of our religion. It is the word of God.
But I love the Bible, too. It reinforces the Book of Mormon. It provides important background information that helps us to better understand the children of Lehi and their ways. It teaches us about our covenants and what happens when we fail to honor them. It tells us of our noble ancestry. It teaches that there have been prophets throughout history, some of whom have seen our day.
Above all, the Bible testifies of Jesus Christ: the Old Testament testifies that He would come; the New Testament testifies that He did come.
Both Testaments point to the Savior, and to Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Book of Mormon.
It is with great gratitude that I mark this important birthday. How blessed we are to have the Bible, and the freedom to read and heed the truths that are found in its pages. I am thankful for those who sacrificed everything they had so that we could have the privilege of reading God's word. I hope that none of my readers ever takes this privilege for granted.

Reach out and take a hand; make a friend if you can.

We had the interesting experience of visiting another ward today. It is a very affluent ward, with members well-educated and very talented. But there was something lacking, and we felt it. We were not greeted as we entered the chapel, which is disappointing, but not a bad thing. It continued when a sister bore testimony that their city was the holiest place on earth and their ward the best in the church (and she has lived in many in that area). We were touched by the testimony of one good sister who said that as she gets older, her testimony becomes simpler (more on that another time). Oh, and we were greeted after Sacrament Meeting, when a sister told us we were blocking the aisle.
I was greeted as I walked into Sunday School, and there was a good spirit there. But as in many other educated wards, they looked beyond the mark, and tried to approach the gospel too intellectually. The gospel is beautifully simple, except when we try to complicate it.
In Priesthood Meeting, I was greeted by several men, and had brief conversations with those around me before the meeting started. But during our lesson, there were some negative comments made about California, as if that made them more important. But then the lesson progressed beyond that, with some good discussion, and some good insights. Still, it was a little showy. And it was shocking to them to hear the concept of working with less-active members.
When I am traveling, I try to attend church if I am away on Sunday. Some meetings (even at home) are better than others. But I always hope to feel the Spirit and to be edified. In this I was not disappointed.
But the attitudes I felt from them were disappointing. I have only attended three wards that I felt were unfriendly. And one of them was so full of new move-ins that no one knew whom to greet. It should never be too much to ask for members to say hello to someone they do not yet know. In examining my life, I find that when I have the Spirit with me, I always feel more welcoming of others. When I don't feel like greeting people, it is usually because I have not prepared myself for worship and don't feel the Spirit.
The other attitude that disappointed was the attitude of geographical superiority. Now let me make it clear that I defend them against negative comments, too, so I don't care for it from any direction. Where I live or where I'm from does not make me better or worse than another. (Nor does who I cheer for, but that is the topic for another rant.)
The Lord has called us to build Zion wherever we are. I live in a Stake of Zion; so do they. That puts us on equal footing. The attitude that "I live in Zion now, not in the mission field" has always disturbed me. With all due respect, that kind of arrogance has no place in the church. I agree, in jest only, with the hol(e)y part: their roads are like swiss cheese: potholes everywhere. But this valley, while it has temples and chapels, and many important places, is no more holy than anywhere else. Take away the presence of the church, and it is just another medium-sized city.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we need to be mindful of all the Lord's children. It is important to greet our friends, but what of the stranger? What did the Savior teach? What of the wandering sheep in our midst? What did the Savior teach? What about using our talents to build the kingdom? Have I buried my talent because it is so comfortable living in an affluent area with many good members? Is my light on view to all, or is it hidden under a bushel? What more can I do to build the Lord's kingdom on earth? How can I be a more devoted disciple of Christ? I must be up and doing, and be about the Father's business.
Now lest I sound like a ranting critic, I did leave with a commitment to myself and to the Lord to magnify my callings better. I left with some specific resolves for my own life. Because I know that I can do better. Zion prospers, and much is well in Zion. but I also have a duty and a covenant obligation to make sure that all is well in Zion. Because at this moment, it isn't.

Peaceful lives will not deliver freedom fighting we know

For many years, I have enjoyed the leadership books that explore an individual’s life and discuss leadership lessons that can be learned from him or her. Books have been written about everyone from Abraham Lincoln to Walt Disney and Michael Jordan, discussing how we can lead just as they did. It is no surprise, then, that I would be attracted to Geoff Loftus’ new book, “Lead Like Ike.”
Loftus tells the story of what is arguably the greatest military leadership feat in recent history, the retaking of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany, Interspersed among the details of plans for battle, invasions, fighting, and overcoming challenges are lessons in business leadership that can be used today.
I enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, it is a quick read. Loftus was thorough, but didn’t get bogged down in details that are best left to history books. Second, I am a history buff, and I learned some things while reading the book. Third, Loftus explored the interpersonal relations between the principals among Allied leaders. This, after all, was where Eisenhower truly showed his leadership skills. Fourth, Loftus made effective use of sidebars to give modern business illustrations that correspond to what Eisenhower dealt with. This was a very effective teaching tool. Finally, at the end of each chapter, he summarized the main learning points. This will make it easy to return to the book and find significant points of interest to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical leadership.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Forgiveness, even if you don't love me

Andy Andrews is a phenomenal storyteller. I have heard him in person and have read several of his books, so I already had high expectations when I picked up this book. The Heart Mender exceeded my expectations. Andy said that this book is his favorite and I understand why.
The Heart Mender is a story within a story. It begins when Andy unearths a can with Nazi military mementos and tries to discover why they would be buried on the coast of Alabama. His investigation segues into a heart wrenching story of a young war widow who is angry with the world. As she walks along the beach late one night, she discovers the body of a nearly drowned German sailor. Something he says touches her heart and she decides to take him in and care for him. As the sailor's physical wounds heal, the woman and the sailor both begin the psychic and spiritual healing process as well, with the insightful help of a man with Down's syndrome.
I thought that the jacket notes gave away the ending, but I was wrong. There are some plot twists that left me breathless.
I enjoyed this book on several levels. First, Andy revealed a part of American history that was new to me. I was not aware that u-boats had patrolled our waters and sunk our merchant ships. I had thought of the war as something more distant.
Second, I found the book hard to put down. Andy Andrews is a master storyteller. He explores human emotions without becoming obscene or lurid, and that is all too rare in the literary world today. I was drawn in to the story and felt the anger and heartaches of the protagonists.
Third, I appreciated the reader's guide at the end. The discussion questions gave an added insight into the author's purposes.
Fourth, the Where Are They Now? section was a great addition, since the book is based on actual events.
Fifth, there is an element of romance to the book, but not enough to turn off most male readers.
Finally, and most important, the book teaches the principle of forgiveness in a unique and powerful way. Andy did this in a very genuine way: it did not seem contrived or preachy.
I highly recommend The Heart Mender.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

There is an hour of peace and rest

We were richly blessed by our attendance at Stake Conference today, where we received wise counsel from President Poulsen. First, he counseled the young women of the stake to be a light to the young men and to push them to greater righteousness.
The adults were counseled to purchase “two extra cans of corn” every time they shop. These extra cans (don’t have to be just corn) are to be kept for a rainy day, for a time of need. President Poulsen also counseled us to be ready for the potential impact of the H1N1 flu this winter. If we were quarantined for three weeks, could we survive on what we have in our homes?
Finally, he counseled us to participate in General Conference from our homes or from the chapel. He said that if we do so, we will be blessed with the guidance we need in our lives.
President Poulsen also put forth a challenge to all members of the stake. He asked us, beginning tomorrow morning, to have a daily personal early-morning devotional. He said to find somewhere quiet where we can spend a few minutes each day to pray, read from the scriptures, and ponder. If we do this, he promised us added spiritual strength as we face our various trials. We might also remember previous challenges, and during our devotionals, pray for the strength to resist temptation that day, and pray for an increased capacity to love those within our stewardships.