Today we are dealing with something very difficult. My sweet Young Women's leader, Sister Bollard, is preparing to go into the next life after a long battle with cancer. I'm still struggling with this. I told my mom that I think everyone should live a healthy life until at LEAST they have great-grandchildren. So the fact that I have a friend who is only as old as my parents about to be taken away has made me have to catch myself many times over the last few days to avoid public displays of emotion.
When my friend told me that people were starting to write letters to her, I wrote one too. How do you write a letter to a friend, knowing it's the last mortal contact you'll have with her? It took me a LONG time to get through it, and I figured the best thing to tell her was my testimony. As one of the leaders when I was a Laurel, it was through her example that I helped make the decisions that have brought me to this point.
I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Plan of Salvation. I wish SO much that I didn't have to learn about it through these hard times. I went to the temple on Saturday, and found that peace will come from staying close to the Lord. I also know for a fact that the Bollards will be together again. They have lived their ways the right way, and what could be a bigger comfort than that. Sometimes the Lord just has a different plan for us that is not for us to know, but to trust in Him.
So I will keep praying. Praying for Sister Bollard, that she will be able to be released from her pain. We've prayed for a miracle, and now it's time for her to receive her reward. I'm praying for her husband, who was my seminary teacher for my senior year and Austin's seminary teacher for two years in high school. He helped Austin get so motivated for a mission, and how can you repay that? I'm also praying for their family, especially Charlie. Charlie is the sweetest, and he has really grown up as a result of this trial. How is it fair to call it a "trial"? People call hard classes trials! This is so much more. Charlie is going to be such a great man as a result of enduring this, especially as he is in France away from the family during this awful time.
So, my heart has been very tender lately and I've caught myself trying to clear the lump in my throat. Many prayers going to lots of people I love.
