November 2010
A month or so after Wes died, I happened upon Lucy reading the Book of Mormon. I put my arm around her and said quietly, "Oh Lucy, that's your daddy's favorite book!"
"That's why I'm reading it," she responded, eyes still on the page, "to remind me of Dad."
left: August 2010, right: April 2011
In 2010 Wes wrote,
"The Book [of Mormon] has been a constant and cherished part of
my life. I remember my dad praising my six-year-old reading ability when I
took my turn to read from the Book of Mormon during family home evening. Later,
I remember Mom coming into my room every night to read the Book of Mormon with
me, when, as the youngest in our family, I was the only one stuck with an eight
o’clock bedtime. I have to admit, I tried hard to prolong those reading sessions
- not for the love of scripture, or even for the love of my mom, but because I
wanted to stay awake! It’s interesting, though, how much my love for Mom and for
the scriptures has grown because of those memories."
Because of those memories and because of her tremendous impact on his testimony of the scriptures, Wes wanted his momma to speak about the Book of Mormon at his funeral.
Because of those memories and because of her tremendous impact on his testimony of the scriptures, Wes wanted his momma to speak about the Book of Mormon at his funeral.
"Wes loved the book of Mormon. The power of the word was dear to him. By the time he was nine years old he was reading the Book of Mormon every night. Some of my most tender memories are of sitting by his bed listening to him read. He followed Nephi's admonition to, "feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."
Lucinda shared so many Book of Mormon scriptures that Wes had loved and lived. Hearing the familiar verses was like hearing Wes himself testify of the truths and lessons he had treasured up.
"When Wes could no longer read the Book of Mormon, he listened. And when he could no longer manipulate his itouch or the computer, Lori read to him, or Lucy read to him. His father read to him. I read to him. And those are some of the most holy and sacred moments that we shared."
Then Lu noted, "The scripture passage that reveals Wes more than any other for me, is Nephi's Psalm: 'Oh Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee forever.'"
Lucinda didn't know that during our freshman year at BYU, Wes had referenced Nephi's Psalm in a testimony he shared at the end of a Sunday School class we had both attended. She didn't know that I subsequently stood and shared my feelings about those same verses. Nor did she know that as he and I walked down the hall after the meeting, Wes reached over and put his arm around my shoulders for the first time.
"Oh Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee forever."
Wes's testimony of and trust in Jesus Christ were my most striking first impressions of him. And I know that his powerful testimony and his enduring trust in the Savior grew from days and months and years of feasting upon the words of Christ found in both The Bible and The Book of Mormon.
I pray that his legacy will continue in our home as we daily read and cherish the word of God.
Spencer reading the Book of Mormon to his beloved green monkeys, September 2010
5 comments:
I remember during our freshman year that a few of us girls surrounded Wes after he returned to Provo after going through the temple for the first time, eager with questions (he was one of the first of our friends to go through). "How was it?" "Did you understand everything?" we asked. He responded that it was spiritual and great and something along the lines of, "It makes sense if you know the Bible." And I remember thinking, almost panicking, "But I don't really know the Bible." He was a fantastic example of someone who treasured and knew the scriptures. And he made me want to be more prepared for attending the temple!
What better legacy can you leave behind... one that I know you, Lucy and Spencer will carry with you.
Your words strengthen me every time I read them. Thank you for being so generous with such tender memories. And Ty would love to play anytime. He is so loud and crazy, I fear he might unleash the wild beast inside Spencer, who is most definitely the sweetest boy I have ever met:)
As I watch you read the scriptures each evening with your little ones, I imagine 'Heaven' smiling down at you.
I cannot say the smallest part which I feel. Love you.
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