Funerals and Friends

A dear friend of mine passed away recently.  She was 89 years old and one of the sweetest ladies I've known.  My first memory of her was as my primary chorister, now called primary music leaders.  I can see her very clearly now as I did as a child.  She was smiling and happy and teaching primary songs that would forever remain with me.

As a child and youth, I was blessed to attend church with some great people.  People didn't move around like they do today so many of the older generation that I knew from way back when are still living in the same area. Sadly, I have attended the funerals of a number of them, but it is with such joy that I am able to do so.

I am happy that I have been able to remain in this area for many reasons, but an added blessing has been in getting to stay in contact with so many of those elders of my youth.  While it is not as it use to be, I can still go to the temple and run into one or two of them.  When I go to church with my parents, I again get to see and hug them.  It is such a warm embrace and a sweetness that has no words to describe it.

While attending the funeral for Sister Catherine Hollingsworth, I was able to not only see these beloved elders from my childhood, but also their children and friends that I don't get the opportunity to see and visit with in my adult life.  The hugs and warmth cannot be replaced by following a blog or facebook page.  It is so much sweeter.

The comment was made a couple of times to me that it was like a High School Reunion only getting to see those you wanted to see.  I say, it was a family reunion.  To be in the company of those that I have known most of my life and who added so much to who I am at an early age was truly a bright and beautiful reunion of spirits.  As I sat there and looked around the room I could feel that family is indeed beyond the blood line of our immediate family.  I could feel a royal blood line that connected me to those brothers and sisters that had been a part of my mortal journey.  The feeling was so sweet that I could only imagine for a brief moment of the reunion that was taking place for Sister Hollingsworth and that will one day take place for all of us.

I am grateful that I had that peaceful moment of clarity and hope for the joy that we can and will experience as we draw closer to our Heavenly Father.   If I can remove my self from the temporal woes in my life and ponder upon the Plan of Salvation in it's fulness, then I can better face my trials and tribulations.. I have been very blessed and have much to be grateful for.  The richness of those blessings were made a little more translucent as I sat to say goodbye to a sweet sister who touched my life at an early point of my journey and made a difference in me.

Update:

Just a few weeks ago while attending church with my parent, Chester Hollingsworth was there and is now over 100 years of age.  How sweet it was to hug him and he remembered Kelly and I both.  What a blessing to have your mind at that age especially after seeing my father 81 suffering from Alzheimer's.  We just never know what trials lay ahead for us.