Remembering Grandma Mary

Dear Family,

I received a call from Pres. Boswell this morning, Weds., Nov. 9th around 10am telling me of Dad’s email, that grandma had passed away.... It was Really, really, hard hearing that. He gave me permission to email you guys and to check my email from you as well. I hope all is well at home. I don't really like death (I guess nobody really does) and that call seemed to suck a lot of energy and life out of me. I continue to keep a silent prayer in my heart that everything will be well back at home.

I'm sure the shock and pain I feel will be gone after a little while, it is a little rough right now, but I'm very grateful that she is able to rest now and that she'll be able to remember the covenants that she has made with our Heavenly Father. I’m especially grateful that she has a lot of loving family to help her on the other side. I pray that everything will be in order for the funeral and that the spirit will be there. I'm very grateful for the conversation I was able to have with her right before I left for the MTC, I was hoping it wouldn’t have been the last. How grateful I am for the great plan of the Master that ties us all together, and that not even death can break the bonds of love! I am so very grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ as it was He who broke the bands of death so the grave has no power over mankind.

I'm grateful that things worked out to be able to write and send a few thoughts about Grandma Mary. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of her is her willingness to always serve others. Every time we would make the trip down to Goshen for the holidays or some other time she always had the house ready for us and things prepared. She never complained about it either. Her warm hug and kiss, she would greet us with, was something I will never forget. She is a great example to me of perseverance and how to handle trials. When she began getting sick and losing weight, she would always muster up some sort of smile or little comment that kept her and others around her positive. I remember one time in specific she came to a game of mine when she was not really feeling well. She had to leave at half time, but she cared enough to come and support me even though it wasn't comfortable for her. A uncomfortable and probably a little painful act for her, but it meant the world to me seeing her in the stands. She is an excellent example to all those that came into her life of love, kindness, endurance, and service just to name a few. I feel blessed to be able to call her my Grandma and to have known her for the wonderful lady she was. I look forward for the reunion we will have in heaven and for the love and joy as a family we will have, there, together. Until then may God be with her til' we meet again!

I continue to pray for you all and for everything to go well this day. I love you all!

Elder Jeff John Manning

The Baltic Mission