RICKY

Below is the talk given by Shalaine. This is the last talk that was given at Ricky's funeral. We hope you have enjoyed remembering this remarkable young man through the words of his siblings. We owe much as a family to who we are to the challenges overcome, the lessons learned and the pure pleasure of being a part of his 24 remarkable years. We hope that there have been some memories here for all of you. We truly appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for us as a family. We want you to know that through it all that the Hendricksons continue to "MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

RICKY

“Just let him die,” was the prognosis when Ricky was born with a 3-inch hole in his back. Every doctor, specialist, internist and technician at two hospitals felt Ricky Hendrickson could not survive the myriad of complications accompanying Spina Bifida. His parents, Blaine and Sharon, heard the advice and prayed, talked and considered their other five children, ages 5 to 15.
They chose life.
And because of that decision, a boy who doctors said would not live past his first birthday, lived a full and rich life for 24 years. They chose life. Thus, allowing Ricky the opportunity of a lifetime of choices.
Ricky’s life was far from easy. It was a life peppered with doctor’s visits, hospital stays, major surgeries, many illnesses, and a wide variety of limitations due to his handicap. But mom was always quick to remind him that he was “handicapable” and to not let these things get in the way of his ability to learn, dream and live his life. Ricky’s surgeries ranged from having a shunt put in his head to having every vertebrae in his back broken so a metal rod could be inserted in his spine, allowing him to sit up straighter and breath better. When Ricky turned 8, we stopped counting his operations. The total at that time was 40. But never once did I hear Ricky complain He never grumbled or whined about having to have another surgery, another visit to the doctor, another tube, another medicine, another limitation placed on him. Ricky was not afraid of what lay ahead or what he had to go through to get there. Ricky chose courage.
Also at the age of 8, Ricky was chosen by the Make A Wish Foundation to have a special wish come true. Ricky’s wish was to have his whole family together in Las Vegas to see the Oak Ridge Boys, Siegfried and Roy, and “Starlight Express”. He rode in a private jet and limo, ate great food, stayed in a hotel for the first time, and was able to meet the cast of each show backstage. All of this he chose to share with his family. There is nothing Ricky wouldn’t do for each one of us. He loved having family over to visit, taking his nieces and nephews bowling, and playing monopoly with his big brother Greg (or anyone else he could con into playing with him). Ricky knew and understood the value of eternal families. Time with his mother always ranked at the top of his “to-do list”. Whether it was going to the movies, riding the rollercoaster’s at Disneyland, or just snuggling on the couch, the two of them were inseparable. There was nowhere he would rather be than at home with the people he loved. Ricky chose family.
Ricky was not ashamed of who he was. He made no excuses for his handicap and was never embarrassed. In fact, he would often use it to his advantage. It was not an uncommon sight in our house to see Ricky run over someone’s toes only to laugh hysterically after. He made the most of riding the elevators when everyone else was walking up the stairs and had no problem cutting in the front of the line at Disneyland. Another one of his favorite things to do was race. He, of course, always won. I can still remember the time when our family met soon after taking a family picture to look over the proofs. The photographer, with what I’m sure where the best of intentions, had taken Ricky’s trachea out of the picture. I don’t know if I have ever seen him so angry. He wanted that trachea back in the picture right away claiming, “That’s who I am!” Ricky chose confidence.
Ricky is by far the kindest and most generous person I know. I had the special privilege of being able to be his caregiver for several years. During this time I came to know Ricky better and more intimately than ever before. He loved to talk and sing. Though he was very much not a morning person, when I would wake him up singing and dancing around the room it was not long before he broke into a big smile and sang and danced along with me. Ricky was also an amazing listener. During this time he became one of my best friends as we shared our thoughts, dreams, triumphs and heartbreaks with one another. I saw first hand as I cared for him how there was no room for pride in his life. There were few things he could do without assistance, and he always accepted the help with grace and dignity. One of the things we often spent time doing was going out to serve others or buy thoughtful gifts for friends and family. Ricky loved to give. And one of the things he gave most freely was his warm and infectious smile. He was kind to every one he met and I can honestly say that I have never heard him say anything bad about anybody. Ricky chose love.
But the one thing I will always remember and admire Ricky for was his positive attitude. Ricky was a fighter to the end. The phrase “give up” was not in his vocabulary. In a newspaper article written in 2000, my mom told the reporter, “Ricky is the happiest of my six children and has brought our family the most wondrous, love filled, tender years.” The one with the most problems, the hardest trials, and the greatest limitations, was always the happiest. He truly embodied our family motto “Hendrickson’s Never Say Can’t”. In that same article, Ricky, at 15 years old, puts life into perspective. “I have learned you have to be happy”, he said. “If you aren’t happy, nothing is worth it. You just have to deal with your problems and get on with it.” How much we have all learned from Ricky and his positive “can-do” attitude. Ricky chose to be happy.
When Ricky was in elementary school he memorized a poem by William Ernest Henley. This poem titled “Invictus” quickly became his favorite and he never forgot it. At anytime you could ask him to recite it and this is what he would repeat:



Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit form pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Ricky truly was the captain of his soul and the maker of his destiny. With God beside him, he made good and righteous decisions throughout his life. Because of his choices and the opportunity we had to know him, we will never be the same. Ricky had the ability to imprint himself on everyone he came into contact with. Whether we needed more courage, confidence, perspective, love or cheer, Ricky helped us to achieve it. Ricky lived his life to the fullest that it allowed taking us all along for the ride. Ricky chose life.

MORE MEMORIES OF RICKY

I hope that you continue to enjoy the talks given at Ricky's funeral. Please enjoy the talk given by Jon. We continue to appreciate your cards and letters and all the support we receive from all of you each day. We are overwhelmed by the friendship exhibited by so many.

RICKY

I’m still in a bit of shock: Ricky could’ve gone anywhere and seen anyone and he chooses Siegfried and Roy! It was a great vacation though. One week in Vegas with the whole family. We have one-liners that we still use today from that time…I just can’t get Starlight Express out of my head.

My memories of Ricky are many and I have tried to limit them to 5-7 minutes. For those who knew him intimately, then you know that is a hard task. When I was eleven years old, and I found out Mom was pregnant, I couldn’t wait to have a younger brother. Not that having 2 younger sisters wasn’t great, it was…but I really wanted a younger brother and I knew I would soon get my chance. I could hardly wait to teach him all about sports, play catch with him, and show him how to look up fantasy stats in the LA Times sports page. However, sometimes life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect it.

With apologies to Benjamin Button, I believe Ricky’s life could be summed up in the title The Curious Case of Richard Hendrickson because like Benjamin Button, Ricky’s 24 years on this earth were truly miraculous. In the movie, Benjamin was born old, wasn’t supposed to survive the night, but was loved unconditionally by the mother who raised him. Because of that love, Benjamin not only survived the night, he grew younger as the years went on and was able to experience life in his own way. There were many pitfalls for Benjamin but he understood them, accepted them, and grew to love them because he was living life as only he knew how.

My brother Ricky was Benjamin Button 24 years ago. He was born with many complications, wasn’t supposed to survive the night, but because of the unconditional love of my father and mother, he not only survived the night…he survived for 24 years. Even knowledgeable doctors called him a breathing miracle. Because of my parent’s love, Ricky grew in wisdom and glory as the years went on and was able to experience life in his own way. Through the countless surgeries and painful pitfalls that came his way, Ricky’s knowledge of the gospel became clear as he understood them, accepted them, and grew to love them because he was living life as only he knew how.

One distinct memory I have of Ricky was when he was around 2 years old. My brothers and I decided to grab a blanket, put Ricky in the middle, and throw him in the air. We knew we weren’t supposed to do this especially when Mom came running into the room but we knew he would love it. And love it, he did; however, I think we cursed him for life because as he grew older, any roller coaster with a severe drop in it struck a sudden dread in him probably recalling the fear/joy he felt during that time when he was only 2.

As my brother grew older, we learned as older siblings that he just wanted to be part of the group: whether it was playing Nintendo, eating dinner, going to church dances, or doing his one of his favorite pastimes, playing Monopoly. Many pictures we have are ones with him smiling from ear to ear just grateful for being included. And this never went away. When his nieces and nephews would visit in his later years, he loved being the Pied Piper giving them rides in his wheelchair, showing them how to play Wii, and of course breaking out his multiple versions of Monopoly. My kids loved playing with him and Ricky loved being an Uncle.

In D+C 88:123-125, it reads: See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires. Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

This was my brother’s creed…..well, except for the sleeping in part. Us Hendricksons love to sleep in. Ricky loved everyone unconditionally. He never coveted what he didn’t have. I don’t remember him one time saying, “Whoa is me. I wish I could walk. I wish I could breathe. I wish I didn’t have a shunt on my head. I wish I didn’t have a trach in my throat.” As a matter of fact, in one of our family pictures, the photographer thought she would do him a favor and photoshop his trach out making him appear, I guess, more “normal.” I don’t think I’ve seen Ricky more upset….well except for the time when he was told by my parents that he would have to stop eating BBQ chips, cheese, and ketchup. Now that was not a pretty sight. Anyway, he was upset because he knew he wasn’t “normal” and he never wanted to be. The trach set him apart from others and I believe he saw it as a symbol for who he was and who he had become.

Ricky’s “mantle” was charity. He loved to serve others. When told he wouldn’t be able to serve a “normal” 2 year mission, he decided to go on a “service mission.” He would get up early, put on a shirt and tie, slide on his nametag, and have my father, mother, or nurse drive him to the Family History Center. It was there where he would spend many hours a day serving others for the next 2 years. Those might’ve been the happiest years of his life just like they are for most missionaries. He felt close to our Heavenly Father because he knew just like King Benjamin taught that “when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God.”

The veil was very thin for Ricky. He knew where he came from. He knew why he was here and he knew where he was going. I truly believe that there are those special spirits in this life who are waited on by others and it is those same special spirits that will again be waited on in the next life in a much different capacity. My brother was and is one of the special spirits. I feel proud to have known him so intimately. I feel proud to have learned from him. I feel proud to have him teach me all that he did about strength and perseverance. I feel proud to call him brother. And I will feel proud to wait on him in the next life.

Near the end of the movie, Benjamin Button says:

"Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life. Some people get struck by lightning. Some are born to sit by a river. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim the English Channel. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people can dance."

If you knew my brother, he made a dent in your life. Some people (like Ricky) get struck with spina bifida. Some people (like Ricky), have a trach so they can talk. Some people (like Ricky) go through countless surgeries in order to live life. Some people (like Ricky) serve 2 year missions. Some people (like Ricky) love to play Monopoly. And some people (live Ricky) love to dance.”

I know he’s up there dancing circles around everyone and smiling from ear to ear and I can hardly wait to be reunited with him and see him in his full glory.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

RICKY: THE MAN OF MANY NAMES

Below is Stephanie's talk from Ricky's funeral. I hope you will enjoy reading and remembering this terrific young man.

RICKY: THE MAN OF MANY NAMES

Reman: He was my baby brother. Reman, Shalaine, and I were what was deemed the “2nd Family” around our house…or the “spoiled ones” as my brother’s call us. Being only 6 when Reman was born I didn’t understand the severity of his condition. I think that was also due in part to how my mom continued to make life as normal as possible for my sister and I. Shalaine and I loved dressing up Reman like a girl, making him play barbies with us, and laying on his bed watching movies for hours. I took many trips to LA Children’s hospital with Reman. He endured the many hospital visits with a cheerful attitude while I looked forward to the Yoshinoa afterward. I don’t know how a child as sick as Reman could endure it with such an amazingly positive attitude. A remarkable trait that he carried throughout his life.

Rickster: He was an oldies fan. More than that he was OBSESSED with the Beatles…I like to think I introduced them to him. He has posters of them covering his walls, he knows every word to every song, I even think he has nesting dolls that look like the Beatles. Everyone in the family inherited some form of OCD from my mom, and Rickster’s was definitely manifest in the Beatles. Rickster also loved all things having to do with crime drama’s. CSI, Law and Order, Crossing Jordon…he has seen every episode of every series. We considered having the Law and Order theme song as our opening song…but since it has no words we opted for something else. Rickster loved Harry Potter. He has read every book…5 times, plus listened to them on tape, plus watched all the movies. I’m sure he is in heaven right now upset that he hasn’t seen the forth coming movies.

Slickdog: He was the Ultimate Gamer. Slickdog loved Monopoly. He would take on anyone at anytime. It didn’t matter if it was beatles monopoly, golf monopoly, wizard of oz monopoly, or Utah monopoly…he loved it. The only person he couldn’t beat was my brother Greg, then just this Christmas he masacared him at Wii Monopoly. Slickdog loved video games and bowling as well. Anything he could play and enjoy with other people he was up for…as long as he wonJ Slickdog loved the Anaheim Angels. He would go to the games any chance he got. Slickdog would participate in our family baseball fantasy league only if he could have Vladamir Gurrero and Garret Anderson. I remember him chastising my mom for going to the games just for the food—how could she desecrate his players like that? Although I think part of the reason he loved them is because the team wore his favorite color in the whole world-Red.

Richard George: He was the serious side. Although I will go on the record that he hated to be called his full name. Richard George was stalwart about the gospel. When he was 8 he wanted to be baptized. Not because everyone else was doing it…but because he knew it was an important step in his progression in the gospel. It seemed like an impossibility to all of us since he couldn’t get any water in his trach and total immersion in the water was what was required. But Richard George perservered—he found a way to do it and was baptized. When Richard George was 18 he wanted to serve a mission. Again this seemed impossible to us. How can someone with 24 hour nursing and constant doctor visits serve a 2 year mission? But Richard George found a way to do it and served a 2 year full time service mission in the family history center. Richard George also wanted to be temple endowed. Many of us told him he didn’t need to do that, that it could wait until later. But Richard George knew he needed to make those important promises in the temple to progress and so he did it. Richard George served faithfully in all his callings and attended his meetings and activites. I remember him scolding me once for leaving after sacrament meeting—although it irritated me at the time I knew he was right. Richard George loved the Lord and wanted to follow his commandments and serve him.

Rick: He was the stubborn, enduring side. Rick and I thought we were the most stubborn people we knew…and we were right! But without that stubborn streak I don’t think he could have made it through 40+ surgeries, physical limitations, constant illness and pain, and several near death experiences. He fought for life with every breath he took. He didn’t want to just lay in bed he wanted to battle his limitations and enjoy life. Even when he was extremely sick he would tell us “I’m Fine”. Rick did not want to be seen for what he couldn’t do, but for what he could do. He graduated from high school, attended college, he traveled, and he served at the Children’s museum and at the nursing home. Even in his last few weeks on earth he battled against all odds. He made improvements the doctors never thought he could and continued to amaze us all. Rick truly endured till the bitter end.

Ricky: what he always wanted to be called. Ricky was the social butterfly, party animal, the thoughtful friend. Ricky started having parties at age one: it was a Disney party and everyone that knew him came to the house to celebrate. He went on to have Power Ranger parties, pool parties, game parties, chocolate fountain parties, oldies dance parties, catered parties, and surprise parties. Ricky never met a party he didn’t like and he was the life of that party. He was zooming around in his wheelchair talking to people, dancing, making sure there was enough food, and having fun. Ricky loved people. If he couldn’t be around people, he was calling people, he was emailing people, he was texting people. He craved social interaction and it fueled him. Ricky always had other’s best intentions in mind. He wanted to give all his friends and family gifts for every occasion. He was constantly giving advice to his friends, family, and nurses. No wonder he wanted to be psychologist!

I will remember my brother as all these things: as Reman, my little brother with a positive attitude, Rickster: the guy with great taste in music and in crime dramas, Slickdog: who would do anything for a game of monopoly or a night at the stadium, Richard George: who loved the Lord and sought to serve him, Rick: a guy who fought against all odds, enduring till the end, and Ricky: the thoughtful social party animal. I know that he is with my mom right now, throwing a party in heaven, smiling, knowing it was all worth it.

MY HERO

Posted below is Jeff's talk at Ricky's funeral. Once again thank you for all of your cards and letters. We really appreciate your thoughts and prayers at this time.

MY HERO

As Ricky’s eldest sibling and oldest brother I have a unique perspective on his life. Being 16 years his elder I have distinct memories of his birth and early years of life in addition to his young adulthood.

With being his eldest brother comes the unique responsibility to set a good example and to incessantly tease him. This was not only my responsibility but also an oldest brothers right. I had all kinds of fun with my brother thru the years. I’ll share just a couple of my favorites.

When Ricky was young and just learning how to talk he was outfitted with a “valve” for his tracheotomy. For those who are unfamiliar, the tracheotomy, or trach for short, is a hole in the neck that allowed my brother to breath more effectively. The trach is actually set below the vocal cords so in order to speak he would have to cover the trach with his finger or a “valve” is secured on top of the trach which allows air to come in but not out. Therefore, when he would exhale the air would be forced past his trach, past his vocal chords and out his mouth…so he could speak.

Now this valve was not only a blessing for Ricky so he could speak but a blessing for his siblings as well…since its simple removal “turned him off”. My brothers and I would also play an entertaining game with Ricky and his “valve”. We would make him laugh. While this sounds harmless enough, the game was to see how violent the laugh would be. The more violent the laughs the greater the initial exhale. This would force a large amount of air, quickly, past the “valve” causing it to pop off due to the pressure. The game of course was to see how far the valve would actually fly.

As Ricky got older, he was outfitted with an electric wheelchair…which all who knew him knew he “drove” way to fast. That wheelchair never met a wall or a door jam that it didn’t like. This electric chair gave my brother independence…it gave me, a wealth of opportunities to have “fun” with my brother. I loved switching the speed from the picture of the turtle to the rabbit when he wasn’t looking. I suspect from the look on my brothers face when he moved the joystick that this was not just exciting for me.

Additionally, whenever I would sit next to him I would casually switch the chair to the “on” position without him noticing…wait for a bit…and then move the joystick when he wasn’t looking. Again, this produced the look of excitement on both our faces…and maybe a few excited words from my brother.

I could go on and on sharing stories about the great fun we had…

My fondest memories of my brother though are founded in the person that he is. You see, my brother never viewed himself as having physical handicaps. Not once, in twenty four (24) years, did he vocalize to me a negative comment about his physical limitations. He was confident in who he was, a son of God…his Eternal Father. He knew he was special and that he could have a positive effect on people.

This knowledge moved him forward. It inspired him to help others. He loved to serve in the church and always magnified his callings. Receiving a calling and serving others in the church was the highlight of his life…he loved every opportunity to serve.

A favorite parable of mine, taught by The Savior at the end of His mortal ministry, has always reminded me of my brother and the service he gave. The Savior taught the value of service to our fellowmen when he said to the righteous:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Ricky’s life has been and will continue to be a driving force for good within me. He is the bravest person I have ever known. He inspires me and always has…he is my hero.

JOY TO THE WORLD

I have received a number of requests to post the talks given at Ricky's funeral to the blog. The first post is the talk given by Greg. We certainly appreciate all the support that we have been given during this time. We are doing well as a family, and know that it is through your faith and prayers that we are able to move forward.

JOY TO THE WORLD

“Joy to the World, the Lord is come;Let earth receive her King!Let ev’ry heart prepare him roomAnd Saints and angels sing.”
This rapturous hymn by Isaac Watts expresses the heartfelt conviction of all devoted Christians in the divine nature of Jesus Christ. The song was a favorite of Ricky’s. I believe that it best expresses his testimony of implicit hope and faith in the Savior Of The World and of his enthusiasm for our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness. With this hymn, like Ricky’s ever-present smile and characteristic thumbs-up, there is so much more there, there. Ricky loved to have Joy to the World sung on many occasions including at his baptism. I rejoice in the opportunity to stand and sing it with you at the close of this great celebration of Ricky’s life today.
Upon first hearing the good news of the possibility of an earth life and a Heavenly King willing lead us to toward godliness, my brother and I “shouted for joy” as “the morning stars sang together” (see Job 38:7). We stood with all of the throng of the family of God in a council where the plan for mankind’s progression toward unbounded happiness was presented (Abraham 3:22-28). We were spirits, perfect in form, having all our faculties and mental powers unimpaired. (See, Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr., 5 vols., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979, 3:19.) We knew that the progression we craved required us to be subjected to the cruel and indiscriminate circumstances upon the promised earth that would render some lame, some blind, some deaf, and others subjected to all manner of infirmities. Perhaps we knew at that time the limitations of body and mind that would be ours in mortality, but we certainly knew that whatever our earthly afflictions, they would be limited to our temporal/earth life experience and would, therefore, be temporary. (See e.g., Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith , comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft Inc., 1955, 2:292-294). We knew that the pain, suffering, grief and misery of all mankind would be borne by Jesus Christ and that those who reached with faith toward his healing grace would find peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come (See e.g., 2 Nephi 9:21-22; D&C 18:11-13; D&C 59:23). Joy to the World!
Following the eternal pattern we were entered into earth life through families. It was the intention of our Father in Heaven that we receive in our families his reflected love, care and compassion. That in our families we would learn to respond with dignity to the impulses of the light of Christ or conscience with which all mankind is endowed from birth. (See e.g., The Family; A Proclamation to the World, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, (This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah)) . When there are those that belong to our family, or that are otherwise close to us, that suffer from some impairment, we are rightfully saddened and we spend endless hours pleading with the Lord for miraculous healing. However, Apostle Boyd K. Packer reminds us, “The very purpose for which the world was created, and man introduced to live upon it, requires that the laws of nature operate in cold disregard for human feelings. We must work out our salvation without expecting the laws of nature to be exempted from us. Natural law is, on rare occasions, suspended in a miracle, but mostly the [disabled], like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, wait endlessly for the moving of the water.” (Boyd K. Packer, The Moving of the Water, Ensign, May 1991, pg. 8).
And though we wait and watch with our loved ones as they endure the cruelty of their physical condition we must remember that disease, deformity and age render our bodies no less sacred. They were created in the image of God and are the crowning creation of Deity. The function and capacity of the individual parts and organs, from the fingers to the heart, to the brain and so on are miraculous and represent the divine, omnipotent genius of God, who is our Eternal Father (for more on the miracle of the human body see, Russell M. Nelson, The Magnificence of Man, New Era, Oct. 1987, pg. 44).
The question is often asked how a loving God could allow some to suffer so much in life. There are even those that frame their contention against the existence of God around such questions. To do so, however, places the myopic reasoning and logic of man above the expansive love and plan of God. The Lord has said:
Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings, wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet but is nigh at hand. . . .
After that cometh the day of my power, then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Behold I, the Lord, have spoken it. (D&C 58 3-4; 11-12)
Apostle Neal A. Maxwell, a man familiar with suffering related to disease, once stated:
So much of life’s curriculum . . . consists of efforts by the Lord to get and keep our attention. Ironically, the stimuli He uses are often that which is seen by us as something to endure. Sometimes what we are actually being asked to endure is His “help”: help to draw us away from the cares of the world; help to draw us away from self-centeredness; attention-getting help when we have ignored the still, small voice; help in shaping our souls; and help to keep the promises made so long ago. . . .
There is clearly no immunity from such stimuli or other afflictions, whether of the self-induced variety or the divine-tutorial type. Either way, however, the Lord can help us so that our afflictions can be “swallowed up in the joy of Christ” (Alma 31:38). The sour notes are lost amid a symphony o f salvational sounds.
(Neal A. Maxwell, Thy Will Be Done, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft Inc., 1988, ppg. 118-119). Joy to the World! Certainly my brother responded well to his often received “stimuli”. He was rarely consumed by the cares of the world, self-centered, or insensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Many of the infirm, though they move through life seeking the enlargement of mind and spirit, await the day of blessed release (note that Joseph Smith once stated, that “all the minds and spirits of God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement.” Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 354). They recognize that once they have finished their sojourn upon the earth, that they will, as the prophet Alma tells us “be restored to their proper and perfect form” (Alma 40:23). Modern day revelation states “Their sleeping dust [will] be resurrected to its perfect frame, bone to bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided, that they may receive a fullness of joy.” (D& C 138:17)
Likely due to its universal application, the gift of resurrection is often given secondary significance with the grandeur of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Without it, however, the atonement would have no meaning. Perhaps the disabled and infirm understand and appreciate the interdependent miracles of atonement and resurrection better than the rest of us. They know that through the resurrection they will be restored and made whole, never to suffer disease or affliction for all eternity. They understand that through the atonement they are provided with the day to day healing power of Jesus Christ and the ability to live forever in the comforting presence of our Heavenly Father. In and through Christ are these miracles available. “Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: . . . [He] was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. . . . He poured out his soul unto death and he was he was numbered with transgressors;” (Isaiah 53: 4-5, 12) “and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).
He is the Great Healer, the Deliverer, the First Fruits of them that Slept, the Second Comforter, the Balm of Gilead, the Joy of the World! Of him I sing praise, in his holy name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

RICHARD (RICKY) GEORGE HENDRICKSON

Richard (Ricky) George Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage CA passed away on January 23, 2009 in SanBernardino CA at the age of 24 after a heroic battle with Adult Pulmonary Distress Syndrome. He was born January 14, 1985 in Mission Viejo CA to Blaine E and Sharon S. Hendrickson. He attended school in Laguna Hills CA and Cathedral City CA, graduating from Cathedral City High School. He also attended College of the Desert. Ricky was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and served a two year Service Mission. Ricky struggled throughout his life with physical ailments, but had a quick mind and an engaging personality the endeared him to everyone that he met. He will be remembered most for his passionate desire to be of service to others and his refusal to let his handicaps get in the way of leading a full and productive life.
Ricky is survived by his father Blaine E Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage CA, 3 brothers, Jeffery (Jennifer) of San Clemente CA, Gregory (Becky) of Kealakekua HI, Jonathan (Lou Ann) of Laguna Beach CA; 2 sisters, Stephanie (Eric) McClellan of Redlands CA, Shalaine (Cort) Green of Rancho Mirage CA. He also leaves behind 14 wonderful nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his mother Sharon.
Services will be held on Friday January 30, 2009 at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel Located at 72-960 Park View Drive Palm Desert CA. There will be a viewing on January 29th from 7:00 to 8:30 PM and on the 30th from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the same location. Dedication of the grave will take place at Desert Memorial Park at 2:00PM 21705 Da Vall Dr., Cathedral City CA. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the Orange County/Inland Empire Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.

We Love You, Ricky!

Last night at 11:45 PM, our brother, son, and friend passed away. His pneumonia had been getting rapidly worse and his oxygen levels had dropped significantly. Doctors and nurses did all they could, but Ricky's time had come. He passed away quickly and peacefully with his father, his sister Stephanie, his nurse Monica, and Cort and myself by his side. Though we are all greatly saddened by the loss of our dear Ricky, we know this is also a joyous time as he returns to his Heavenly Father freed from the body that so tried him. We knew as soon as his spirit left that he ran straight for his mother's arms.

Ricky was the heartbeat of the Hendrickson family. He was the glue that often held us together. How grateful I am for all the things that he taught me by his words, example, and love. There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of Heavenly Father's choicest spirits and the light he brought daily to us all will be greatly missed. Thank you for all of your kind words, your thoughts and many prayers throughout this past year and a half. They have been a strength to us all.

Sharon loved the Make a Wish Foundation because of all they did for Ricky and the experiences they worked to provide for him and the joy they brought when his "wish" came true. So, as with Sharon, we ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to this special charity. You can visit their site and make a donation at http://www.wishoc.org/. If you do chose to donate we ask that donations be made to the Orange County Inland Empire Chapter. Information and details of Ricky's funeral will be forthcoming.

THE RIDE CONTINUES

This has been a really interesting and challenging few days. After Monday's drama things settled down somewhat. We have not been able to resolve the Pneumo Thorax, but they were able to wein him off pressure support on the vent and back to volume control. This is good because it takes pressure off the lungs so that we don't get a collapse on the other side. We made good progress on Tuesday and Wedensday getting him down to 65% O2 and a peep rate of 5. He continued to have some periods of difficulty with pain but we were able to stay on top of it. This morning at 5:00 AM his stats began to drop dramatically and his O2 levels dropped into the 60's. They put him back on pressure support and the levels recovered. In order to keep him sedated they had to increase his Dilatin to 4 mg per hour. He is managing OK at the moment but O2 levels remain marginal. He is fighting hard. We again thank you for your faith and prayers, and we continue "TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

RICKY BEING RICKY

Prosperity is evidently not a place that Ricky wants to be and so in true form yesterday's good news was a short phenomenon. On Sunday morning his x-rays showed that he had developed a Pneumo Thorax (that's code for the lung sprung a leak.) That resulted in minor surgery to have chest tube installed which will pull off fluid and air so that the lung won't collapse. While they were at it they decided to put in an arterial line so that they won't have to keep sticking him to draw blood for labs and to do blood gases. If that wasn't enough this morning about 7 AM his body decided to reject all sedation and pain medication. They tried new meds, increasing the amount of old meds all to no avail. His heart rate went up to the high 140's, his blood pressure was 170/115, his respirations were all over the map and his O2 level dropped into the 80's. This was the case all day until around 4:00 when they increased his Dilatin to 2mg per hour and the same with his Ativan. By 5:30 all of his stats had dropped back into the normal range and he was again under sedation.
His principal diagnosis is Adult Pulmonary Distress Syndrome which has a mortality rate of 60%, you add to that the pneumo thorax, the Pneumonia, and the infections, you can see the uphill battle he faces. He is a fighter though and continues to do battle. We appreciate all of your faith and prayers and continue to "MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

THE COMEBACK KID

I wanted to give everybody a quick update on Ricky and his progress. He continues to amaze us all, in fact he gives 9 lives a new meaning. Over the last couple of days there has been some turnaround in his condition. Although he still remains critical there has been some improvement in his lungs and they have been able to reduce the O2 saturation level from 100 to 80%. His white count has trended down slightly and the x-rays show some opening back up of the lungs. He still remains fully sedated as he has no capacity to breathe in his own. He remains on TPN for feeding. They were forced to switch drugs for sedation because the original drug Propofol was beginning to affect his liver functions and so he is now on a Versed drip. Yesterday a new organism showed up in his lungs and so they are growing a culture to find out how to treat it. As Shalaine stated in her post, he is in the hands of the Lord. We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers and continue "TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

Update on Ricky

Although we didn't plan on posting again on the blog, and especially not for this reason, we felt we should give an update to anyone who might be following the Hendrickson clan. 

Two weeks ago Ricky went into the hospital with severe pneumonia. He started off at Legacy Post Acute and Rehabilitation Center in San Bernardino. But after coding while in the nursing home and reports from the doctors that his lungs were getting steadily worse, they felt he needed to be moved to the ICU at St. Bernadines Hospital where he could be under constant care.  He has been there now for a week. 

Unfortunately, his condition is not getting any better. The doctors have found MRSA all over his body and the pneumonia is very severe. He is on as much oxygen as they can give him and on a ventilator 24 hours a day but is still struggling to keep his oxygen levels up. Meanwhile his pulse is constantly racing, staying around 130-170 beats per minute. He is on many antibiotics and TPN to try and get his nutrition better. The doctors also have him heavily sedated so that he doesn't have to work much and his body can try and fight off the infection. However his white blood count continues to rise and is currently at about 50 (we know way more about WBC than anyone should have to!). 

For the most part, it is very "touch and go" at this point. We are preparing for what may come but continue to hope and pray for the best. He has had excellent care and doctors and nurses are doing all they can. We realize it is now in God's hands. Please keep Ricky in  your thoughts and prayers. 

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."

REMEMBERING SHARON PART4

It's hard to believe that Sharon passed away one month ago today. Although she is gone, as Shalaine said we know that she is with us and helping us to move forward with our lives. We all continue to be amazed at the love and support that we are getting from all of you. I am reminded of the quote that Greg put on the white board at the City of Hope when we went for the bone marrow transplant. "In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincable summer." (Albert Dumas) Every day I understand this more as "WE MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

Below is Jeff's talk from Sharons Funeral. It is a perfect statement of our understanding and belief as a family. I hope you enjoy it.

HOPE

Throughout history man has voiced the questions, “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?” Ever since I can remember I have known the answers to these questions. My mother taught them to me. As I have grown I have come to know that what she taught me is true. I now know these things, independent of any other person.

The answers to these questions are firmly rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Prophets have called it the plan of salvation and “the great plan of happiness”. Through inspiration we can understand this plan of eternity and use it to guide our path in mortality.

The gospel teaches us that we are the spirit children of heavenly parents. Before our mortal birth we had “a pre-existent, spiritual personality, as the sons and daughters of the Eternal Father”. We were placed here on earth to progress toward our destiny of eternal life. These truths give us a unique perspective and different values to guide our decisions from those who doubt the existence of God and believe that life is the result of random processes.

Our understanding of life begins with a council in heaven. There the spirit children of God were taught his eternal plan for their destiny. We had progressed as far as we could without a physical body and an experience in mortality. To realize a fullness of joy, we had to prove our willingness to keep the commandments of God in a circumstance where we had no memory of what preceded our mortal birth.

In the course of mortality, we would become subject to death, and we would be soiled by sin. To reclaim us from death and sin, our Heavenly Father’s plan provided us a Savior, whose atonement would redeem all from death and pay the price necessary for all to be cleansed from sin on the conditions he prescribed.

Satan had his own plan. He proposed to save all the spirit children of God, assuring that result by removing their power to choose and thus eliminating the possibility of sin. When Satan’s plan was rejected, he and the spirits who followed him opposed the Father’s plan and were cast out.

All mortals who have been born on this earth chose the Father’s plan and fought for it. Many of us also made covenants with the Father concerning what we would do in mortality. In ways that have not been revealed, our actions in the spirit world influence us in mortality.

Although Satan and his followers have lost their opportunity to have a physical body, they are permitted to use their spirit powers to try to frustrate God’s plan. This provides the opposition necessary to test how mortals will use their freedom to choose. Satan’s most strenuous opposition is directed at whatever is most important to the Father’s plan. Satan seeks to discredit the Savior and divine authority, to nullify the effects of the Atonement, to counterfeit revelation, to lead people away from the truth and to contradict individual accountability. He desires all to be “miserable like unto himself”. He would have us loose our faith in our Fathers plan and destroy our hope in Jesus Christ, the Savior of all Mankind.

The loss of my mother has been the most painful experience in my life. While there have been trying and tragic events in my past this has pained my soul deeply.

Since the time my mother was diagnosed with leukemia last November it has been a roller coaster ride of emotions for us as a family. While we were experiencing the highs and lows of this journey there was always hope. I always hoped for something better, a brighter day, for my mom. It was hope that pushed us forward, caused us to take action and move forward with faith.

Alma describes this perfectly when he exclaimed, “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

The word hope is sometimes misunderstood. In our everyday language, the word often has a hint of uncertainty. For example, we may say that we hope for a change in the weather or a visit from a friend. In the language of the gospel, however, the word hope is sure, unwavering, and active. The prophet Moroni taught, "Whoso believeth in God might with 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…" (Ether 12:4).

As I was with my mother this past Sunday afternoon and witnessed her passing from this life into the next, it seemed to me that all hope was lost. The despair was overwhelming. My wife, Jennifer, and I have spoken in quiet times since about this.

As the minutes have inched past since Sunday afternoon, I have reached for hope and have realized that it has never left me. My hope and faith is the “anchor to my soul.”

Our ultimate hope must be anchored to the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”

An understanding of that objective should help us approach the future with faith instead of fear, with a more excellent hope in place of despair.

Samuel Smiles wrote: “ ‘Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.’ … Hope sweetens the memory of experiences well loved. It tempers our troubles to our growth and our strength. It befriends us in dark hours, excites us in bright ones. It lends promise to the future and purpose to the past. It turns discouragement to determination.”


A modern day apostle, listed among my mother’s favorites, if not the favorite, was Neal A. Maxwell. She loved the way he spoke and enjoyed the books he wrote. It seemed as if after every general conference she would say to me, “did you hear Elder Maxwell’s talk, wasn’t it great…I can hardly wait to read and study it when it is published, so hopefully I can understand it.”

Elder Maxwell is not only related to my mother thru her mothers line but he also endured a battle with leukemia, which took his life in 2004.

In closing, I quote Elder Maxwell on the plan of salvation…the great plan of happiness:

“Life turns out, however, to be just what one would expect of a deliberately constructed proving and tutoring experience which features opportunities, choices, and deprivations. Furthermore, there is no way around—the only way to go is through!

And what a “through” it is!

Hence, brothers and sisters, for the faithful, our finest hours are sometimes during or just following our darkest hours.

It is an incredible irony, therefore, that some complainingly attempt to use the very tutoring process of the Lord against Him. Or resent the reality that we are to walk by faith during this mortal experience.

Furthermore, since this life is such a brief experience, there must be regular exit routes. Some easy. Some hard. Some sudden. Others lingering. Therefore, we cannot presume, even by faith, to block all these exits, all the time, and for all people. Nor, if possessed of full, eternal perspective, would we desire so to do.

Since certain recollections are withheld, we do not now see the end from the beginning. But God does. Meanwhile, we are in what might be called “the murky middle.” Therein, however, we can still truly know that God loves us, individually and perfectly, even though we cannot always explain the meaning of all things happening to us or around us. (See 1 Ne. 11:17.) With an understanding of God’s plan of salvation, we know that the rejoicing, the striving, the suffering, the tutoring, and the enduring experiences of life all play their part in an intelligible process of helping us, if we will, to become, as the Savior beckoningly invited, “even as I am.” (3 Ne. 27:27.) Hence, in submitting knowingly and meekly to this plan, we cannot say to the Lord that we are willing to surrender but only on our terms. There are no conditions in unconditional surrender! The plan always points the way, but does not always smooth the way…

And why not? It is God’s plan—not ours! And, given the unimpressive outcomes of man’s plans to solve the world’s problems, aren’t we glad! Furthermore, of all the things about which we might converse, as Jacob wrote, “Why not speak of the atonement of Christ?” (Jacob 4:12.) Why not, brothers and sisters? This event arches over all of human history, as a Redeeming God and Savior Son pressed onward with the great plan of happiness. Yes, in the plan, God would have us be happy…”


I testify that the things I have spoken of today are true. I also testify that the priesthood and all priesthood keys, have been restored, to the earth, in this the last dispensation of the fullness of times; namely the sealing keys that were restored to the prophet Joseph Smith by Elijah in the Kirtland Temple. These same sealing keys have sealed and bound us together as a family for eternity. I am forever grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for blessing his children by restoring the priesthood to the earth, enabling families to be together forever, never to be divided. This is my hope.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

REMEMBERING SHARON PART 3

It's hard to believe it's already been a month since mom passed away. In some ways it feels like longer and in many other ways I feel like she is still here with us. I guess she is. I had the privilege of being one of the speakers at my mom's funeral and sharing with her family and friends my thoughts, memories, and lessons learned from this wonderful and special woman. Mom and I were the best of friends. And while it is difficult for me to know that I can't have her physical presence with me any longer I'm so grateful for the knowledge that in some ways I can have my friend still with me all the time. The first song we picked for her slideshow was "Angels Among Us". We picked this because mom LOVED this song. When I was younger and this song first came out she recorded it over and over on a tape that she would blast throughout the house every morning for hours on end. Classic Sharon. And now I wonder, how did she know? How did she know how fitting this song would be and how much the words would come to mean to all of us later? She was an angel throughout her life and continues to be one now- helping each one of us as we "move forward with faith". 
Here is my talk from the funeral-

My Mom

How do you capture the essence of someone in 5-10 minutes who was truly larger than life? The biggest challenge with this talk was not on deciding WHAT to say, but editing it down to what not to say. And for those of you who knew Sharon, you know that she wasn’t big on editing. I’ve never known someone so comfortable in their own skin. She was 100% herself 100% of the time. “Inside voice” was not a term she was familiar with.
If I could pick a phrase to summarize my mom it would be “Go BIG or go home”. Sharon did nothing on the small scale. She didn’t send out a Christmas card to close friends once in awhile, she handmade intricate carefully crafted Valentines each and every year to be sent to an ever growing list of over 250 families. She never just showed up to teach a class or give a talk, she spent hours planning, cutting, gluing, and coloring hundreds of handouts to help drive her message home. If she found a shirt she liked, she bought it in every color. If she was the primary chorister on Halloween, she dressed up as Count Dracula and had the children pick a song from numbered pockets sewn inside her black cape. Every holiday, mom dyed the milk a coordinating color- green milk on St. Patrick’s Day, red milk at Christmas, and black milk on Halloween. And words cannot describe the spectacle that was Christmas decorating in the Hendrickson home. Huge swaths of gold lame hung from the ceiling with glass stars hanging between a hundred bears wearing angel costumes that she hand sewed. Mom never giggled or smiled. She roared, cackled, and beamed. And most of all, mom didn’t just dabble in the gospel, she immersed herself in it. She poured over the scriptures, spent hours in a quiet dark place praying to her Heavenly Father, and knew beyond doubt that Jesus was her savior, brother, and friend.
The prophet Joseph Smith once said “men know rightly the characteristics of God…if we don’t understand him, we don’t understand ourselves.” I believe the reason my mom was so confident and comfortable, was because of how well she knew her Heavenly Father.
Sharon’s testimony was unshakeable. It was a testimony bought at the high price of trial, hardship, and tribulation. But to know her, you would never know that. Because she was always smiling, always laughing, and always filled with joy. She understood that the world had much to offer in the way of easy thrills and chills, but true and everlasting joy came only from living the gospel. And in true mom fashion, she didn’t just live it, she embraced and embodied it.
Everyone loved to be around mom because of this joy that radiated from her. She was fun, vivacious, full of life, and maybe just a little bit crazy. Mom’s greatest joy was in her family and she wanted nothing more than for them to be together. She often talked seriously about her plans for “The Hendrickson Compound”. But even bigger than this was her dream to have a Circus Family. To her, this would be the ultimate. To travel around as a family from town to town working together, playing together, and making people laugh together.
Mom had a saying for everything and most of them described just how she was. Some of my favorites are “Only boring people get bored”, “Be unbugable”, “NOYB”, and of course “Hendrickson’s Never Say Can’t”. Most of these were sayings were also accompanied by a little song and dance. But the phrase she would often say that had the biggest impact on me was “Bad things DON”T happen to Good people”. I learned from mom that hard things happen to good people, difficult things happen to good people, heart-breaking and devastating trials happen to good people, but when are heart is in the right place and we turn our lives over to the Lord, bad things will not happen. For he has promised that when we do what he says, ALL things will work for our GOOD. Mom knew this and mom lived this.
She never asked why. Why is this so difficult, why did I have this child, why have I been given cancer? She only asked what. What would you have me do Lord and what can I learn? Many of you may know that for over 20 years she has been writing a book about her life and experiences with her family and most of all her youngest son, Ricky. Her philosophy for life is best described in the title of this book: “From Trapped to Freedom- Your Choice”. Mom made no excuses. She made no apologies. You never found her complaining or murmering. She just did. Her knee-jerk reaction was to say “yes” and figure out a way to do it later. She knew she had a choice. She knew she was the author of her destiny. And the tale she chose to tell was one of perseverence, sacrifice, service and overwhelming joy.
While mom lived large, she also appreciated the small. She saw the beauty and worth in everyone. When she was younger she used to go around to construction sites near her home and hammer out the knots in the wood. These knots she would take home and carefully sand, buff and then paint with clear nail polish to bring out their individuality in design and texture. Nothing was more beautiful to her than this collection of knots. One day she brought them to school for show and tell. When her teacher saw her collection he laughed at her. He told her that it was a ridiculous and stupid collection. While most children’s response would be embarrassment and hurt, mom felt nothing but sadness. Sadness for this man that he could not see the beauty in these simple unique knots of wood.
Mom had a knack for making everyone she came in contact with feel special and beautiful. She saw and loved the individuality in each of us and through her teachings, example and love, helped sand us, polish us, and make us shine. She saw the worth in us that we often didn’t see in our selves. “For men know rightly the characteristics of God…if we don’t understand him, we don’t understand ourselves.” Mom could see the beauty and worth in us because she knew herself and she knew her God. She lived life big and has now returned to her Heavenly Father. And you know exactly what she would say… “There’s no place like home.”

REMEMBERING SHARON PART 2

Thank you for all your kind responses and wonderful cards and notes. We as a family are having a wonderful time remembering too. We hope you enjoy the slides, if you want to view the entire slideshow click on "VIEW ALL IMAGES" and when you get to the link click on SLIDESHOW in the upper right hand cornor, and enjoy some wonderful memories of this incredible woman (no bias here!). As for the rest of us we are doing well, Greg and family and Stephanie and family will be returning to their homes on the weekend. We are greatful for our knowledge of "God's Plan of Happiness" and we continue to "MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

Jon's Talk is included Below.

MOM

William Shakespeare once wrote: All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players:They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.

The first stage in my life began before I was born. Mom and the doctors truly believed I was going to be a girl. Mom already had 2 sons and was excited to get her first beautiful girl. I can only imagine her shocking and open-mouthed expression when Dad welcomed their 3rd son into the world. Naturally, this didn’t stop Mom. She grew my hair out, put it in pony tails, and gave me dolls to play with. Most of you are probably saying to yourselves, “That explains everything.”

As I grew a few years older, I put away the dolls and thankfully moved onto sports. The 2nd stage I remember is the soccer stage. My older brothers both played on the Milwaukee Kicks and I could hardly wait until I was old enough. Finally I was and became part of the team. I remember one year after we had moved to California playing in a Regional playoff game. It was intense and the winner would play in the Rose Bowl. Our team unfortunately lost in double overtime and as we made our way to the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of my dad running after the referees red-faced and ready to do damage; however, true to form, Mom was able to chase him down and stop him before he would do something he would later regret. This would become Mom’s calling card. She always was there to stop any of us before we made a bad decision or do something we would later regret.

Which brings me to the teen-age years: 3rd stage. All 3 boys were in high school at the same time which brought its own set of challenges. Mom, however, was at almost every game and every play. She got up with my dad every morning before seminary to feed us breakfast and read from the scriptures. My dad loved to cook bacon and eggs and my mom loved to let him. I learned to read and love the scriptures but most importantly, I learned the lesson of sacrifice. My mom loved to sleep so I knew that her presence at the breakfast table at 5:30 in the morning was a huge sacrifice for her. She always put herself last and everyone else’s needs first. Even last Saturday, as she lay in the hospital bed suffering, she suddenly turned to me and asked, How I was doing? This typified my mom’s entire life.

The 4th stage was my missionary years. My mom loved the Lord and knew what service meant. In every calling she received from Relief Society President to Seminary Teacher to Primary Chorister, she magnified it and trusted in the Lord and therefore became the best “fill in the blank” there ever was. Because of this, she knew that there wasn’t anything better I could be doing than dedicating 2 years of my life to serve the people of the Canary Islands. All four sons served missions and I’m sure she was sad to see them go knowing that 2 years would indeed be a long time; however, the lesson that she instilled in us was the same as King Benjamin when he declared, “When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your Lord.”

The 5th stage was my first years of marriage. I student taught at Laguna Hills High School and Mom and Dad were gracious enough to open their home to us. We lived there that year with our newborn baby girl, Jamie who is now almost 12 years old. I learned a lot that year as a young father as Mom would not only give me advice about marriage and sacrifice but show me through example what being an eternal partner and parent was all about. Many days I would catch her with Jamie on her lap reading to her one of her favorite books: I’ll Love You Forever. I truly believe that the mother in that book was indeed my mother as she: “Held her new granddaughter and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held her, she sang:
I'll love you forever,I'll like you for always,As long as I'm living my baby you'll be.
I can say with 100% accuracy that Mom never broke that promise.
The 6th stage was Nana Camp. One week long every year where Nana invited all the grandkids to her home and entertained them for a week. This was my kids’ favorite week in the whole year. It wasn’t just a babysitting week. It was full of activities from sunup to sundown. My mom had an endless supply of energy. To this day, I have no idea where she found the reserves. As I kid, I never remember her telling me she was too tired to play a game with me or read me a book or sing me a song. And she displayed this energy for the grandkids all week long. She put on costumes, taught them crafts, was the dolphin the pool, taught the kids how to swim, and of course at night would lay with them and watch movies. We told my dad that it would now have to become Paga Camp and he almost fainted on the spot because he saw first-hand how much effort Mom would put into that week.
The 7th stage was this past year. Like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, Mom displayed courage that I have never seen. Even in pain and suffering, Mom would brighten up the room and be on center stage. I never heard her complain one time knowing that Heavenly Father had a plan and trusted in Him. All of us were able to have a lot of time with her one-on-one this past year and those times were precious. My wife said it best when she remarked after having her own time with her, “Mom saw the best in everyone and knew their potential and through words and actions, helped each and everyone one of us see and realize that potential.” That was a great gift my mom had. She made you feel like you were the best person in the world. She made you feel special.
One of Mom’s favorite movies is Shawshank Redemption. Hope is the central theme throughout that movie. Hope was the central theme throughout Mom’s life. Just like Tim Robbins in the movie, Mom always made the best out of every situation that was thrown her way. She had hope that with the right attitude, things could and would get better. This hope grew into faith and ultimately into knowledge. She knew where she came from, why she was here, and where she was going. At the end of the movie, after learning this same valuable lesson of hope, Morgan Freeman says, “I hope I can cross the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it is in my dreams. I hope.”
Just like Mom, my hope has also become knowledge and therefore I know there is no end to this strange eventful history. There is no last or ultimate stage. Shakespeare got it wrong.
I know I will cross the veil. I know I will see my mom and hug her tight. I know that heaven will be as beautiful as it is in my dreams. I know.
And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ….Amen

REMEMBERING SHARON

We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has been so thoughtful, gracious and attentive since the passing of Sharon. We were so pleased by the number of you who took time from your busy lives to attend her viewing and funeral it was indeed a beautiful tribute to her outstanding life. We have been overwhelmed by the number of cards, calls and emails. We are so thankful at this time for all of you and your support as we transition to the next phase of our lives. Yes, we are sad and we will miss her, but we are happy that she is out of pain and in a far better place catching up I'm sure with family and friends. Our challenge is to live our lives to be worthy of her. To that end, "WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."
For those of you who were not at the funeral, we thought you might enjoy reading the tributes to Sharon given by her children. We will do that over the next couple of weeks.
The first will be the talk given by Greg.

Mom’s Funeral Talk

GM brothers and sisters.
I am grateful that my father and siblings have granted me the great honor of eulogizing mom – a clear recognition that I am my mother’s favorite.
I am grateful for the beautiful picture of my mom that graces her casket. When I saw it I said “That’s my mom!” So much energy, so much life and her radiance, the pure light that emanates from her, was always her greatest quality. That light is the light of Christ, it is the spark of fun, it is the flame of love. She brought this light to everything she did with the spaunk of a cougarette and the creativity of a theater and art major. It was a contagious enthusiasm – highly infectious and quickly spread. “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, . . . fills the immensity of space” It’s no wonder that she loved the Wizard of Oz. She helped us see that for every gray scale Kansas in our lives just beyond the rainbow were Technicolor possibilities.
There is so much to express about my mother - most of which words can not tell and only the heart can comprehend. I would like to focus on her greatest passions family, fun and faith. So intertwined are these three to her that they are inseparable in a narrative of who my mom is.
My mother loved the family she was born into. She had two brothers that she adored all her life and a sister she always sought to understand. Her father provided her with a foundation of unwavering faith and her mother with an example of compassion and service. As she began her own family she brought with her this priceless dowry.
Mom was a tremendous helpmeet and the perfect complement to my father. She was never uncomfortable in any circumstance, whether it be in the presence of Presidents or the world’s poor. My father found himself in many leadership positions throughout their married life. Dad may have been in the front but it was mom that pulled the oars.
Mom is incredibly committed to her children. I felt that Elder Nelson in April conference rightly summarized her parenting philosophy. He said “Do not control your children. Instead, listen to them, help them to learn the gospel, inspire them and lead them toward eternal life. You are God’s agents in the care of children he has entrusted to you. Let His divine influence remain in your hearts as you teach and persuade.” My mom raised some of the best people I know. She did not shield us from life’s numerous challenges – she had every confidence that we would meet them and beat them. She wrote songs that she would regularly sing to us. Hendrickson’s never say can’t, for can’t is not our word, can’t is simply absurd” or “I make a difference, I make a difference, I am the one, I am the key.” To remind me of my potential she would often sing to me “Any little boy can be President.” I believed it of myself and so did she.
She had an active commitment to being a part of the lives of her grandchildren. She sought every opportunity to spend time with them when they were around. When she called, my children would eagerly wait for their time to talk to Nana on the phone. She attended births and blessings and baptisms. In the summers there was Nana Camp, where Nana conducted a multi-day sleepover extravaganza – complete with regalia, activities and grandmotherly teaching and expressions of love. After a grandchild turned 8 they attended general conference in Salt Lake with Nana and Paga. Nana knew the power of being in the presence of a prophet of God and wanted each of her grandchildren to feel and experience that power. My children regularly get out their conference binders nana made for their conference trips and recall with fondness this great coming of age experience.
Mom is a monkey – that’s our family mascot. Monkeys are nimble, work together, and always seem to be having good time – that’s us. She and my father’s direct progeny include a troop of 22 monkeys, including 6 children and 14 grandchildren. She will stand in the eternities as a mother to Hendrickson monkeys greater than the sands of the sea and vaster than the stars of the sky. Are you ready for that! In our last few days together we read from the Fabric of the Cosmos about the immensity of the universe, and the possibility of universes upon universes and we marveled at the endless nature of the promise of posterity the matched that grandeur. And for mom endless posterity means joy without end.
Mom exemplified our family motto “Bound with Honor.” Mom and I are big fans of the Bard. To give her greater courage while she was going through her transplant at the City of Hope we watched Henry the V together –we especially love Henry’s speech before the Saint Crispin Day battle.
By Jove, I am not covetous for goldNor care I who doth feed upon my cost;It yerns me not if men my garments wear;Such outward things dwell not in my desires.But if it be a sin to covet honour,I am the most offending soul alive.
Mom did not seek the honor of men but the honor of God. She trusted the Lord when he said “I, the Lord, delight to honor those who cserve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. 6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. . . . and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.” She kept her covenants, and encouraged those in covenant relationships with her to do the same. She made sure that clothing, totes, jewelry, and other sundries she gave to children and grandchildren bear the reminder that we are bound with eternal ties which now require only our lives honorable action to be realized.
Mom had a deep need to express the truths she understood. The challenge was, that the truths she knows best are those of the heart, which must be conveyed to the heart to be comprehended. While tremendously talented in conveying truth with creativity and power as a speaker (as can be attested to by any of her 7 years of seminary students – of which I am one) she longed to be able to express those same truths with the same creativity and power in writing. She took semesters of writing classes while I was in high school and spent hundreds of hours working on a book manuscript. Condensed, all her efforts were published as a short article in the Ensign. A rich and powerful piece about how one comprehends in times of pain and sorrow that the lives we live here frame our eternal possibilities.
I love my mom. She is my mentor, my friend and my cheerleader. I believe that I have done nothing so important in my life than to stand with others at my mom’s bed side and exercise the priesthood on her behalf. I have known few joys greater then to sit for hours by her bedside over the past year – just she and I – talking of things great and small. We read books of grand adventures in foreign lands and the simple life on a farm. She did her best to pass along what she learned at the BMW driving school and what she learned in the temple. We talked of our love and friendship and faith.
I am my mother’s son. I share in her passions, her talents and her faith, but she bought me with more than my birth. There were times when a boy, desperate and alone had lost his way. She searched for me and, in loving agony of spirit, found me and saved me. When I try to grasp the depths of the atonement of Jesus Christ I can only begin to comprehend it in the personage of my mom and her unremitting, unconditional love, devotion and service. She, more than any other, has represented the hands of the Lord in my life.
I can say, as John Quincy Adams did of his mom, “My mother was a minister of blessing to all human beings within her sphere of action. . . . She had no feelings but of kindness and beneficence. Yet her mind was as firm as her temper was mild and gentle. She. . . has been to me more than a mother. She has been a spirit from above watching over me for good, and contributing by mere consciousness of her existence, to the comfort of my life. . . . Never have I known another human being, the perpetual object of whose life, was so unremittingly to do good.”
My mother – I love you. Your physical presence will be greatly missed. Mother – Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it is morrow. That glorious morrow of eternal reunion. Which I hope I am worthy of, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Sharon Hendrickson

Sharon Summerhays Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage CA passed away on October 12, 2008 in Rancho Mirage at the age of 62 after a long battle with leukemia. She was born January 19, 1946 in Pasadena CA to Richard S. and Miriam Maxwell Summerhays. She attended Pasadena Schools and graduated from Pasadena High School. She attended Brigham Young University and graduated from there in 1968. While at Brigham Young she met Blaine E Hendrickson whom she married on September 7, 1965 in The Latter-day Saint Temple in Los Angeles, CA. Sharon and Blaine moved to Rancho Mirage in 1998 after living most of their married life in Laguna Hills, CA. Sharon was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She will be remembered for her vibrant enthusiastic personality, her warm smile, her great laugh, and her committed service. She was a wonderful wife, mother and “nana”.
She is survived by her loving husband of 43 years Blaine E Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage, CA, 4 sons, Jeffery (Jennifer) of San Clemente, CA., Gregory (Becky) of Kealakekua, HI, Jonathan (Lou Ann) of Laguna Beach CA, and Richard of Rancho Mirage CA, 2 daughters, Stephanie (Eric) McClellan of Redlands CA and Shalaine (Cort) Green of Rancho Mirage, CA. She also leaves behind 14 wonderful grandchildren and 2 brothers and 1 sister.
Services will be held on Friday October 17, 2008 at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel located at 72-960 Park View Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260. The Family will welcome friends and relatives on Thursday October 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and from 9:30 to 10:30 AM on the 17that the same location. Dedication of the grave will occur at Desert Memorial Park at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the Orange County/Inland Empire Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.

2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

We wanted to publicly thank all of you for your prayers, your fasts, your strength, and your testimonies. You have lifted us in our time of need. You have buoyed our spirits and helped us:

"Move forward with faith."

Mom, we will miss you every day, every hour, every moment. Your energy, your love, your friendship, and your pure love of Christ is unparalleled. Because of you, we will try a little harder, laugh a little louder, and love a little longer. That is your legacy. That is our inheritance.

Your family and friends will always remember your cackling laugh, your abounding love, and your utter joy of living.

Smile everyone. Our mom wouldn't want it any other way!

(note: In lieu of flowers, Sharon would like you to donate that money to her favorite charity "Make a Wish Foundation" You can view their website at http://www.wishoc.org/. If you do decide to donate, please make your pledge the the Orange County Inland Empire chapter. Thank you. We will also let everyone know either through the blog, email, or phone when the services will be. The date will most likely be at the end of this week on either Friday or Saturday here in Rancho Mirage at the LDS chapel on Monterey).

In the Arms of the Savior

I am sad to report that Mom is in the hospital. She was having trouble walking towards the end of this week and had a few falls. We also noticed she was quite swollen and didn't seem to be eliminating very much. She saw her Doctor on Thursday and he explained that due to poor nutrition and the amount of lasix she was on, her body was eliminating the fluid from her blood but it was going into her legs and lungs instead of through the kidneys. At that time he thought she was still okay to be at home and advised us to help her eat more and drink more fluids.
On Friday she started to become quite confused and was still not eliminating very much fluid from her body. We noticed she was having many of the same issues she had a year ago and feared that her kidneys were struggling. We decided to take her to the hospital and see if we could help her kidneys before they failed. She is under the close treatment of a kidney doctor and he is trying several things to get her kidneys functioning properly. Sadly, these treatments do not seem to be helping and our Mom is slipping from us quickly. In a few moments of lucidity yesterday morning we told her it was okay if she was done fighting, but in true mom fashion she said no...she still had fight in her and that she was strong. Even under the worst situations she lives up to her mantra of Never Saying Can't. He body has been greatly weakened over the past year and we don't know if her strong will can overcome a failing body. We know that the Saviors arms are around her and faithfully trust that whatever the Lord's will is, is what is best for all of us.
Thank you for your continued faith and prayers in her behalf. We know how much she has touched other's lives and pray that in your darkest moments you will trust in the Lord and move forward with faith.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

Sharon was able to come home from the hospital on Saturday morning. In fact we were home in time to watch the morning session of General Conference, which in itself was something of a miracle. If you've ever tried to get out of hospital you will know what I am talking about. We were able to enjoy all sessions of conference which was pretty good considering the cable went out for a good part of the day around the valley. Thank you for having both cable and satellite. We were very inspired by the conference especially President Ucthdorf's talk on Hope. As to our health issues, they took an additional 700cc of fluid off of her right side making a total of 2100cc's from both sides. She is able to breathe more comfortably, but her left lung still has not expanded back. We are hopeful that by being home and moving around more and doing breathing exercises that we can get it to come back. That is pretty important if we are to get her off oxygen. She completed the round of dacogon and received 3 units of blood and a unit of platelets which should be good for a while. The white count has remained in the mid 40's not down much but more important not up. She has started on a small dose of the oral chemo drug, Hydrea, to hopefully jump start a trend down for the white count. She still has quite a cough and we're hopeful that it is helping to open up her lungs, otherwise it is very irritating. She is quite the trooper and continues to push forward without complaint. We are really looking forward to the week ahead, being back home and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 14th grandchild which is scheduled for Wednesday. The family continues to grow which makes us appreciate how blessed we are. We look forward to the miracles that lie ahead and as always "WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."