COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT

It was just one yer ago this week that Sharon was diagnosed with leukemia and what a year it has been. We as a family look back on this year with no regrets. We to a person would say that is has been one of, if not the best year of our lives. As we gathered as a family a year ago, we petitioned our Heavenly Father that we be given a chance to fight and fight we did. We left absolutely nothing on the table and reached out and took advantage of everything medical science had to offer. We didn't ultimately win the fight for life, but we won in so many other ways. During this year relationships were strengthened, lessons were taught and learned, and preparations were made that will enable us to move forward. Most of all we gained strength as a family that we never knew that we had. We found out how important friends and friendships are and how you can gain strength from the thoughts and prayers of others.
We are deeply grateful for all of you that have trod this path with us and for all you do every day to make us better individuals. We hope that you have learned and grown from the experiences that we have shared with you. Our wife, mother, nana and friend was a wonderful strong and talented woman and taught us all what it means to have "Courage," Heart," and a "Brain," and to understand that there is "No Place Like Home." Her legacy will live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren and we hope that you will follow them through their blogs and perhaps and occasional post here by Ricky and me. If you need a little "Sharon Fix," we hope you will come back and look at some pictures and read the wonderful tributes give by her children.
The last weekend of her life we spent enjoying General Conference together and sitting at the feet of Prophets and being taught what we should do with our lives. It seemed like every talk was directed at us, but two talks struck both of us as being particularly relevant to where we were in our lives. Elder Joseph Wirthlin spoke of the advice of his mother when she told him; "Come What May and Love It." As we have gone through this past year the principles that he taught have been a big part of our being able to move forward and face our challenges. The four principles are:

• Learn to Laugh
• Seek for the Eternal
• Understand the Principle of Compensation
• Trust in the Father and the Son

Every day during that last week when anything would happen Sharon would remind me and continues to remind me still; "Come What May and Love It."

I encourage you to read this talk and enjoy the lessons learned as much as we have; www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-9,00.html

Jeff spoke in his talk of Hope and Hope is certainly what sustains us as we go forward with our lives. President Uchtdorf gives some real insight in his talk; "The Infinite Power of Hope" which I believe will benefit us all; www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-7,00.html

As we conclude this chapter of our lives, I would like to leave with you two scriptures. The first from the Prophet Ether in the Book of Mormon in Ether Chapter 12; "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." This scripture is what brings us peace and assurance of what lies ahead as we go forward with our lives. And the last scripture is Sharon's favorite and the way she led her life. It comes from the Doctrine and Covenants Section 6; "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not....be faithful, keep my commandments and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." It is this knowledge and this Hope that allows us to "MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."