I have a Family Here on Earth . . .

Maybe you've noticed . . .

we try to make it plain to see that the family is

central to our Heavenly Father's plan for us here on earth.

It's not difficult to see what a wonderful opportunity it is to have the support, love, friendship, camaraderie that come from being part of a family.  That's not to say that it's impossible to achieve success in life without one, but they certainly can bring many advantages, great joy and happiness to this life.  Life can be challenging enough as it is, and with the help of family, it just makes those challenges much more doable.  Our greatest desire would be that each of our children experience the joy that can be found in a happy home.

We know that our Heavenly Father's plan is a plan of families, so that all who come to earth have the possibility of enjoying that happiness and safety that comes from families.  It's the best place to experience and learn to love others unconditionally, as our Heavenly Father loves each of us.

God is our loving Heavenly Father, we are his children, he does have a plan for each of us.  He wants us to return to his presence after this life.  He gives us the experience of families so we can learn to become like him, and return to live with him again one day along with our families.  As we learn and grown and follow our Heavenly Father's plan, we earn the blessings of eternal life after we pass from this world into the next life.  

Tribute to our Grandma Klein . . .






This week we lost an amazing member of our eternal family - an inspiring mother, grandma to 39 grandchildren, great-grandma to 33!  To each of her descendants she was an inspiration in some way. I think it's pretty safe to say that each one felt her influence in many ways in their life.  We all have our own talents and skills that have increased with her nurturing assistance through the years.

We were blessed as a family to have Grandma Klein live with our family for 7 years.  In fact, during the time I was in nursing school . . . . I don't know how I would have ever gotten through those years without her assistance.  It was so wonderful to come home to dinner on the table, apple dumplings in the oven, a clean kitchen, laundry done, happy kids . . . I don't know how she managed to accomplish it all.  But she did . . .

Some of lives greatest lessons I know I learned from Grandma Klein.  Patience with sad, naughty, unhappy, crying or whining children . . . who could not possibly benefit from that one!  To love first and foremost . . . to serve.  That service was the key to almost everything.   Unselfishness . . . she ultimately gave everything away . . . everything.

Today our family paid great tribute to her, in remembrance of the life that she led.

(Thank you to +Cherise Gunter for catching that sparkle in her eyes!)

We were sad to not be a part of this great gathering,  from near and far . . . . her family traveled.  She would have LOVED to have the opportunity to visit us here in Honduras . . . I'm sure that we will be blessed by her presence from time to time . . .

I hope that I can always practice those life lessons learned . . . that have been such a blessing to me.

I wanted to share the sweet tribute that Norm paid to his mother.

It goes like this . . .

My Mother Loved Me

As I write this, I pause to take another bite of my mother´s homemade chocolates.  It brings back so many memories of how she made me feel loved and special.  She sent this last tin box of cashew turtles because she knew that is was my favorite.  It reminded me of when I was younger and I waited for her return from work and she always had some candy for me in her pocket, but it was the gentle smile that I always anticipated the most. 

  She made each of us feel as though we were the favored child. One day I decided to not go to school, third grade was just too hard!  We lived across the street from the school and as I hid under my bed I could hear the last bell ring, school has started and I had brilliantly avoided going.  Then the thought came: “and now, what are you going to do, stay under the bed all day?”  

I realized that my plan was not well thought out; my mother was home and the idea of staying under that bed all day made me wish that I was at school.  Finally, I walked into the kitchen and confessed my sin.  I remember her being surprised to see me, and then quickly knelt down to look me in the eyes and without any judgment, gently said. “Why don´t we go to the zoo today? Just you and I”  

When I had children, I asked her questions, like: “how old is a child when they learn to walk?”  To which she replied “normally one year”.  I then asked how old I was when I learned to walk.  “18 months she answered”, then she sensed that I felt bad and she went on to explain, “But you were such a beautiful child, I wanted to always hold you and so I never allowed you time to learn to walk”.  I believed this answer (and still want to believe it!).  

When she showed up to our home to live with us in Alpine, she had all of her possessions in her little Toyota Corolla.  She had no need for “stuff”, her greatest treasure where her children and grandchildren.

(With Karianne & Kelsie who would go on to become nurses like their

Grandmother!)

 When Kristin and I were about to leave for our 3 year assignment in Honduras, I looked at my mother and thought, “perhaps this is the last time?”  I didn´t want to believe it.  She looked like an angel to me, and she was.  Sent from heaven to bless and care for me.  I feel so very blessed to have had her and cannot wait until I see her again.  

To those of you who have cared for her in her final days and hours, I thank you.  I wish that I were there with you, I really do.   And to Wayne, I will always be grateful for thinking of me so that I could say goodbye to mom.  That was so very sensitive of you.
 My mother loved me.  ~~Zeke