I was reading in my book "Daughters in my Kingdom."
The first paragraph in that book is the best as it talks about examples of ordinary women who accomplish extraordinary things as they exercise their faith. I have been blessed to be surrounded by such women.
You don't hear about these women in magazines, newspapers, or movies.
These are real women, who have amazing stories, who live life with courage and faith.
They overcome heartbreak and discouragement and come through stronger.
They are beautiful because of the way they live and meet their challenges.
From Grama Bagley I may not have learned the art of quilting or stitching
(that skipped generations to my daughters),
but I feel a kinship with her when I think about home, children and church.
Here is a quote from her journal,
where she describes her feelings when she is about to lose her home.
"I have become attached to this place. I love the flowers, trees, and shrubs we have struggled to raise from a veritable rock pile. As president of the mutual I have attended five sessions of the annual conference. I have mixed emotions. It was an inspiration to hear Elder Widtsoe say, 'I am as clay in the hands of a potter.' Now I know it is my duty to forget material things and respond to the call and do the will of my Father in Heaven.
It is my desire to do a small amount of good while I am young. If someone could say of me, 'she helped me over a rough spot or helped me catch the spirit of the gospel', I would feel my life had not been in vain. The loss of our home and my human weaknesses make me feel I should resign. Then I realize it is an opportunity and I would be cheating myself of growth in our church which means more than anything else."
Another entry in October of 1936 "
Many things and events have impressed me and helped my testimony to grow. Not long ago, our three sons all passed the sacrament together. It gave me a feeling I could not describe. I wish then that I could write a poem describing my inner most gratitude for 3 fine sons.
"Not long after this my grama and grampa lost their oldest son, Alan to a heart ailment, that he had struggled with for years. One night when Alan was very ill a young man in the ward, Lamont Gunderson,
came over to give him a blessing.
He told them later that he was about to bless Alan that he would get better, but felt inspired to end with a plea for the Lord to take Alan, that his suffering would be brief.
Alan passed away very quietly that night while being held in his dad's arms.
He was 18 years old.
A year later grama wrote:
"Here it is a year since Alan left us. It is as fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday. Oh the heartache. Only a mother who has had a similar experience can know the feeling. The tears flow as freely because of the wound which is as deep as the day he left. It is not in my power to describe my emotions to lose one so fond of life. He brought so much joy into our home. Now it is like trying to go full speed on three wheels or some such impossible thing."
Grama had other problems to deal with in her life.
But she rose to the occasion. She handled them with grace.
Always being there for her family. Family was the most important thing to her. She was a simple woman. She learned early to serve others.
She was an ordinary woman who was extraordinary.
Another extraordinary woman is my sister, Jolyn.
She's the youngest in our family. She became a widow at the age of forty one.
She has four children.
At this young age she realized she had to reinvent herself.
She has been an example of strength and generosity to the members of our family.
Giving back to the Hospital that tried so hard to save her husband's life.
Always smiling.. I'm sure she get's down, but seldom does she show it to anyone.
As her children have grown and left home, she's had to start over again.
She's stays busy by serving in the church,
loving and playing with grandchildren and exploring the world.
She is the most adventurous woman I know.
Travelling the world..nothing slows her down.
She is a woman of a different time,
but much like our grandmother she rises to the occasion,
through service, through her faith,
she is extraordinary.
As I write this post I can think of countless others and will probably post about them in weeks to come.
These women keep me going.
They go about their lives without much fanfare.
They just go out there and get things done,
because they love their families..because they love the Lord, because they have faith,
because they are righteous.
"In any and every age of the world when God has called or commanded man or a people to perform a certain work, they through determination and perserverance, and faith in him, have been enabled to accomplish it."
~Wilford Woodruff
