Week 45

Our week brought us both joy and sorrow as Thursday evening August 9 at 7:42 pm John’s wonderful father, Charles William “Bill” Laing, died after fighting a courageous battle with cancer for some two years.  A week ago Sunday, when I wrote last, his hospice nurses had told the family it was unlikely that he would see Monday. But Monday then Tuesday and Wednesday came and went while he battled on.  We all felt he wanted to stay on to somehow continue his care for Mom—his life’s purpose. Now he could only hold her hand as she nestled nearby him in their daughter, Rebecca’s home. Thursday, we phoned again and once more had the phone held for him in order to tell him we loved him just hours before he stepped into eternity, freed from the limitations of his frail body. With him were Rebecca, John's brothers Paul, and Lorenz, and Mark's son Jeremy.

Joy followed as we thought of the reunion he was experiencing with nearly all his siblings and parents and others. We could not but rejoice with his “graduation” from his mortal curriculum. What a wonderful, good man he was to all of us.

It was great that Mark and Sylvia were able to be there to see him just a few days before he had slipped into being unable to respond any longer.

Our son Adam aptly put into words what we all feel as he wrote: “Can anyone in our family, ever think of the true meaning of love, virtue, undying commitment, patience, pure service with no thought of reward or recognition, without thinking first about Grandpa Laing.”

The rest of the week when we were not at the temple has been spent in conference calls with John’s siblings, planning for the funeral which will be held on Monday, August 20, and doing anything we could to help from afar.  We won’t be there in person but we will surely be there in spirit.

As a family we are so grateful for the loving care Rebecca and Carl and their whole family have provided to both Grandpa and Grandma Laing and for all those who have visited and helped out in any way they could. 

At the temple this week we have had Saints from Kaliningrad, Russia, here as well as some Italian families and have loved working with them. The language barriers are challenging but the warmth and appreciation for their opportunity to be at the temple was wonderful to feel. They had with them three couples who were ordinance workers and with whom John worked, brushing up on their training. A young returned missionary, Sis. Nicholaevich, who spoke good English, was set apart as a new worker, which was wonderful since she was able to then translate in our preparation meetings each morning.

Thursday, a young Russian approached a counselor in the presidency, asking if it would be possible for him and his wife to become ordinance workers.  Pres. Harper said, "Well, you would need to be recommended by your branch president," to which 24-year-old Brother Kartashov responded “I am the branch president!” He and his wife, Daria Kartashova, filled out paperwork, with him recommending himself and his wife. They will come again in December, making that long, long trip, bringing his branch with him, for another week of joy and service.

It has been difficult for us this week in saying goodbye to those who we know we will not see again. Our time remaining is beginning to feel very short. Though we may not see many of these wonderful Saints again, neither will we forget them. 

Over the last couple of years, first living in China and falling in love with the Chinese--especially our students--and now in Germany experiencing a very different type of service, we have found that we have expanded our capacity to love our Father in Heaven's children, whether they come from far off Kaliningrad, Russia, Rumania, or Hungary, or from Poland, the Czech Republic, or right here in Germany, they all have found places in our hearts. 

I recently received wonderful graduation pictures from some of my Chinese kids, letting me know that they had made it! Aren't they cute. They look like they might have graduated from high school rather than from Xi'an Jiaotong University! 

May your week ahead be spectacular and full of opportunities to serve.