Mourn with those that Mourn

Last night we attended a funeral/memorial for one of our dear friends.  We only met Betty Newhard in the beginning part of September, 2010 when we were attending the missionary discussions for her neice, Bertha Newhard, and at the time that we met her, her life was full of sorrow and regret and she was ready to turn her life over to the Lord.  I remember the day she was baptized... she arose out of the water and began sobbing.  She was so very happy to have found the truth in her life and to be washed clean from her sins.  Shortly after getting baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she had to go to the hospital, due to liver and kidney failure and the doctors told her that she had only one or two days to live.  So we all prayed for her and she recieved a blessing of healing from the missionaries.  She miraculously left the hospital a few days later and went on to live 5-6 weeks longer, giving her to continue to touch the lives of her family with her newfound testimony, and giving her family the oppurtunity to say goodbye.  She died on November 28, 2010.  Though I only knew her for a few short months, her spirit touched my heart.  She was a fighter with a sassy personality, even up to the very end.  She was a great example to me of how easy it could be to drop the habits that you'd had all your life, if you had truly been converted to the Gospel.  The memorial last night was so sweet.  It was a celebration of her life, rather than a mourning of her death, although her sons and all of her family and friends were obviously so heartbroken that she was gone.  She was loved very much, and if I could, I would tell them that they will be able to see Betty Newhard again in the next life.  She is in fact, here with us now on the other side of the veil.  I firmly believe that she can see us, but we cannot see her.  I sang a song last night, talking about the things that Mothers do for the chidlren

and the third verse of the song says:

"She taught me to serve with a spirit that sings,
she taught me to seek after heavenly things,
and because of her love and her kindness and care,
because of the place that I hold in her prayers,
and because of her goodness I still believe,
God sent an angel,
God sent an angel to watch over me". 

I wanted to tell the family that I know she is still doing these things and will continue to do these things forever.  I wanted to tell the Newhard family that Betty would want them all to feel the things she discovered and to know the things that she knew to ensure that they would all live together as a family forever.  Betty's neice also has been baptized, and I know that she can continue to share with her family her testimony and continue the work that Betty started.  I want Bertha to know that no matter what happens in her life, to never forget the things that she's learned.  Remember that whatever happens, anything and everything can be healed through the Savior.  It seems unfair that we always drop everything on Him, but that is the gift He has given us.  He has suffered these things for our sake anyways, and if we don't take advantage of it, He will have suffered in vain.  My heart goes out to Bertha Newhard and her family at this time.  We love you, and I hope you will be comforted in knowing that you will see your dear Mother again.

Scott's impromptu speech, when the Bishop of Betty's ward did not make it to the funeral.

Betty's three sons: Josh, James & John