There is a lesson learned through every life experience. I always knew that, but it didn't hit home till a couple of weeks ago.
My grandpa was a great man. He was a man of integrity, love, patience, kindness and so much more.
He was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year. He fought a good fight, and we were all determined that he would beat the cancer and return to being grandpa the invinsible! The night before he passed away they told him he was doing good and he could come home from the hospital. But Heavenly Father had other plans for this amazing man.
Getting the call at one thirty in the morning, saying my grandpa would not make it through the day was devestating, but I knew I had to see him before he passed away, my wonderful husband left work, and drove Me the 9 hours to see this great man. I had the honor and privilege of being with him during his last few hours here in mortality. Being there in that hospital room with him was a bitter sweet experience.
He was grandpa clear up to his final moments, laughing and joking, and teasing each one of us present.
He also taught each one of us some very important lessons in his final hours. He knew he was dying, and he knew ,and we knew, where he was going. But he would not tell anyone goodbye, he told each of us, See ya in the morning!
It did not hit us till the next day what he ment, we all firmly believe he ment the morning of the first resurrection. In his final hours, surrounded by all his children and most of his grandchildren, he turned to my grandmother and said " Arlene, look what we started,". Family was everything to grandpa! He loved each one of us, and we knew it deeply, not just because he told us, but because he showed us. Grandpa had time for you no matter what, I never remember him not doing what we asked!
I was there over Easter and he had just had surgery, and he was still a little sore, but Hannah wanted to know how to do the bunny hop, so grandpa taught Hannah the bunny hop, and they hopped up and down the hallway.
Even his great grand kids knew and loved this great man.
As we were at the hospital Hannah was with us, and grandpa wanted to talk to her, he hugged her and said he loved her, and then he uttered his favorite phrases to her, You be good! And Don't mess around , and then he said I will be watching you.
Those are grandpas sayings, but I hope someday Hannah will realize the eternal meanings behind those phrases.
I know grandpa is watching over each one of us. I know that , that is one of the missions Heavenly Father has already given him. We all miss him soo much but I firmly believe that grandpa is fighting for us all and we needed him more on the other side of the veil.
I would dare say that being with my grandpa those final moments be for he passed away was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life.
My testimony was strengthened , my resolve to be a better follower of Christ was fortified, and my desire to remain an eternal family was empowered !
You could feel the love in that room, you could feel our heavenly fathers spirit so close, and the prayers that were offered and the hugs and the see ya laters!
It was one of the most heartbreaking but amazing experiences ever.
I love my grandpa, he made me want to be better , his example of Christ like love touched my life and will always be remembered . I will live my life so that my Heavenly Father and my Savior, and my grandpa, will be proud of me, when I grow up I want to be just like my grandpa! I want to live my life so I will " see ya in the morning!" I love you grandpa!
Sawyer
14 years ago