Over the next couple of months I feel like we will be having quite a few of these “our last” moments/thoughts/adventures. Don’t get me wrong! Again, I know we are doing the right thing – I am just trying to pay more attention to/being grateful for these moments, places, and people we love in Utah.
So this entry will be about our last Sunday in our Rosecrest 1st Ward. To be honest it was hard, very hard but I would not have changed a thing. This last Saturday we had a member in our Ward that passed away. He was a wonderful man and an example to many. Don will be remembered by all. It was hard to see him go. What compounded the loss of Don is that a year ago yesterday we lost a young man in our Ward.
Loosing Keltson was devastating for our Ward. As we watched, cried, and served his loving family – we all lost apart of ourselves. I have personally never been affected so greatly by someone passing away before. Our family didn’t know Keltson very well. We only had 4 very personal experiences with him. But in that short amount of time – he had an impact. I believe this was the case with many who met Keltson.
Keltson is an echo of his family – so this gives you an idea about how amazing his parents and two sisters are. Watching his family grieve about tore me apart. I don’t think I have ever worried, cried over, and prayed for another family in my Ward like this before. This is what affected me the most. I knew Keltson was being taken care of, but how could we/what could we do for his surviving family? As Keltson’s mother shared her testimony Sunday – I began crying before she even reached the podium. Her testimony brought healing to the Ward.
They say time heals. I don’t think it does; I think it just distances us. As our Sunday progressed, I could not stop thinking about another family in our Ward that I love so dearly. They lost their baby girl, Miranda about 4 years ago. I remember seeing her for the last time. She was sitting on her fathers lap at a BBQ and our family strolled by. I remember thinking how adorable that picture was – seeing her on her fathers lap. This was just days before the tragic news quickly spread through our Ward and again our Ward family was affected.
I will never forget these three beautiful people as I feel it would be a dishonor to them and their families. So to the P’s, The B’s and the Q’s – know that our thoughts, our prayers, and our tears are a demonstration of our love and support.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this was our last Sunday in the Rosecrest 1st Ward. A Ward that we laughed with, cried with, served with, and learned with. I would not have changed this last Sunday as it was in memory of these three. I just wished we had not lost them in the first place. We Love you Don, Keltson and Miranda.
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2 comments:
That was beautiful. Thank you for remembering Miranda; it means so much to me. We are all really going to miss your family in our ward.
Duston, you have the most elegant way with words! There is no way I could have put my own feelings of, sadness, grief, rememberance, and love any better than that blog piece. You will never know the amazing impact you have had on this ward and especially my family. After experiencing what we have through the loss of those sweet souls, we will be bonded together forever. We love you and your family very much, and the profound loss we will feel is hard to express. Just remember, we are not saying goodbye, but "see you soon"!
Love lots Elaine and Dave
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