Grandma Ginger

Grandma Ginger is Jon's father's mother. She has been living here for over 2 years. I had never met her prior to her move here. However, I have gotten to know her quite well since I have been helping care for her these past 2 years. I have some great stories for the history books, and I could share some funny things that I've been accused of because of her dementia, everything from stealing her high heel shoes to taking her space satellite, but that's not what today's post is for.

This picture was taken shortly after she moved here in 2007.

Today Grandma Ginger passed away at age 83. A few months ago she fell and broke her hip and didn't really fully recover from that. Two weeks ago she suffered a pretty severe stroke.

This past Wednesday I could sense that she wouldn't be with us much longer, so I took the kids over to say their goodbyes to her. We gathered around her bedside and sang songs for her. We sang primary songs and angel songs per the kids requests. Grandma was unresponsive, but I'm sure she felt the love of her great-grandchildren even though she wasn't the type of person to ever show love towards them. They loved her still and knew that she was a small part of them.

After leaving Grandma Ginger's bedside that evening, Shaylin was so tender in her concern for Grandma, not concern for her life, but for her eternal life. She approached Grandpa Carroll and asked, "Grandpa, after Grandma Ginger dies will you wait 1 1/2 years to do grandma's temple work so that I can be baptized for her? I know Candace is going to teach her the gospel and I want to team up with her." That was definitely a payday moment as a parent. My heart swelled with joy because my 10 year old daughter gets it. She understands what the most important things are in life and she understands the importance of this ordinance. She also understands that this life is just a small moment in the eternal scheme of things. I can't believe that in 1 1/2 years she will be old enough to take part in the *sacred ordinance of being baptized for those who have passed on.

When we received word this morning that Grandma Ginger had passed away in the night, the children wanted to gather around her once more to bid her farewell. We knew she wouldn't be having a funeral service and her remains would be cremated. We decided to take the kids over to her house before the funeral home came to pick up her body. This was their time for closure and goodbyes. They were each so tender in giving her body one last hug.

They each understand our mortal existence and aren't weirded out being around someone who has died. I'm sure this is because of their experience with Candace. They have learned and experienced first hand the reality of life and death and are leaps and bounds ahead of what my understanding was when I was their age. In this moment I saw my children as teachers. They are such good examples and exude goodness in most everything they do. How blessed I am to have such sweet little souls.

I hope Grandma Ginger has found peace in finally knowing first hand that there is indeed an after life and a loving Heavenly Father who loves her unconditionally. I pray that her spiritual heart and mind will be softened and that she will accept the gospel that will be taught to her and that she'll accept the sacred ordinances that will be performed in her behalf. So until we meet again Grandma, farewell.



*In our religion we believe that baptism is an essential step for our eternal progression. However, it needs to be done with our physical body. Therefore, those who have not had the opportunity to be baptized in this life time, have their baptism by immersion performed by a living person acting on behalf of one who is dead, as practiced in New Testament times (1 Corinthians 15:29). This does not take away this person's free agency whether to be baptized or not, instead they are taught the gospel principles in the spirit world (after life) and then it is up to them to choose whether to accept the gospel and the ordinance of baptism or decline it.