Bonding Balm of Brother/sisterhood

Kent,  Clark,  Boyd, (Neil missing:/)
Malinda,  Marium,  Mechel,  Marie,  Melonie

When a trial or difficulty arrises, it is much easier to pass through if you have loved ones around.  I have missed much of my family the past years with all of us living in many different parts of the country.  Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and from Santaquin to Salt Lake City.  It has been many years since we have all been together.  I have missed my sisters who live far away. 

 And then I moved REALLY FAR away- Maui!!

I have shared many memories this week with all of us together, sharing stories of our youth growing up.  We have laughed and laughed,...and then cried, and cried some more.  It has been a difficult thing to watch a healthy father who has never been sick to suddenly go from a hospital visit to diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, and then unable to hardly talk or walk 2 weeks later.  

It has all ben very unexpected and sudden.

We are ever so grateful though for the time we have had to say goodbye and to bond and heal each others wounds through being together as brothers and sisters.  What a healing balm this has been.  Each of us has such different personalities and strengths that we have been able to draw from.  

I am ever so grateful for the message I received from my scriptures, 

Mosiah 2:26-29 just after I arrived at moms.  

We were all deciding when to come and I was given this message for us all. 

28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might ^arid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal ^bspirit may join the ^cchoirs above in singing the praises of a just God. 29 And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto you that I can no longer be your teacher, nor your king;

We have all come to assemble together.

What a blessing and a gift from God!  It has all happen so quickly.  I am glad I did not miss a moment with all of my brothers and sisters to heal and share in this bonding experience.  We will miss our dad as a father and a teacher, for he has taught me much, but we have come together and are here for him to support and love our parents through this trial.  We are all the stronger.

May the bonds of love stretch far and wide and the healing continue even when we are apart again!  I love my family.