An amazing woman.

The last post I made was posted the day that a good friend passed away. Sharon Hendrickson was my bishops wife, my former bishops mother, and one of the best women I've ever known. I was called to replace her in teaching seminary. When she gave me the keys to the closets and the library she said, "Here's the keys to the kingdom!" When I was going through a difficulty and struggling with the concept of faith I called her. I figured with all of her experience in dealing with the possibility of death of her youngest child always right there she probably knew a thing or two about faith. I am grateful she shared it with me. Now I share it with others any chance I get. She told me that you couldn't just say the word faith. You had to say the whole sentence. The whole sentence? What was she talking about? She said it was the whole sentence and this is it. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have since heard Elder David A. Bednar say that very thing. He then clarifies that when he says faith, he means the whole sentence. Cool. I understood more and am grateful for her help. She left behind an incredible legacy of family, fun and faith. That's how one of her sons put it and I agree. She will be missed most by her family but also by those of us who looked up to her as a great example of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those of us who got to share in her life in little snippets here and there. When our husbands served together on high council she would sometimes ride to the temple with Rich and I so she could ride home with her husband who worked by the temple. These trips were fun and I learned more about her and we discussed temple stuff and all sorts of things. Her fingerprints are all over the seminary closet. The atomic clock, baskets, cube, gold journals etc. I can't open the closet without being reminded of her. I had a problem in seminary shortly after her passing and I wondered how she would handle it. She would handle it like the Savior would but with a Sharon flair. Kindness and love wrapped up with all of the ribbon and tulle she thought would put a smile on your face. I did this and was not disappointed. I had been looking forward to the day when she would be healthy again for almost a year now. I missed her smile, bright eyes and the spice she added to our ward family. Anyway, she was awesome and I miss her.