Grandma Bashie’s Funeral
Whenever I
go to a funeral I seem to leave with two thoughts: 1), I wish I had known them better and 2), I want to BECOME a
better person; because I wonder,
“oh man, what would they say at my funeral?”
Let me start
with the first, help you know her a little better. Grandma’s birthday is the day after mine, so we have always
celebrated together. Last year for
her birthday we took our little family up to her place to have a birthday
dinner with her. We wanted to make
it all about her so we each came up with questions we wanted to ask her. We had a wonderful time. She had reserved a room, and had got
all dolled up, we took pictures, shared what we were up to and had a great
dinner. But the highlight was when
we asked her our questions. So,
I’d like to share some of these with you:
Her favorite subject:
history and geography
Her favorite prophet:
Brigham Young
The most amazing
invention: telephone
Her favorite food: candy
and ice cream
Her favorite high school
memory: the lead in the school play
She want to be an ACTRESS
when she grew up
She only wanted 2 children
because her dad died when she was 6 and she didn’t want to have to raise kids
alone if something happened to her husband. She knew what it was like to not have a father.
She went to LDS business
college.
Her biggest regret was not
finishing business school and doing something with it.
BUT she added, she went to
NY and met Avon so that made up for it.
We asked what she like
most about Grandpa Avon when they first dated? He was clean and neat, proper and devout, and
religious. He was a “fine young man”.
She wanted to make sure to
teach her children to enjoy life, get the most out of life, behave properly and
be obedient.
We asked her to tell us
something about grandpa Avon: he loved to entertain and have games for others
to play. She added that she loved
that too.
AND, she of
course shared stories with each of these.
Now these
may be little trivial things but they all helped Bashie to become the wonderful
lady we know as mother, grandma, great-grandma, great-great-grandma, aunt,
sister, daughter and friend.
I left that
dinner knowing a few more fun facts about her, but what struck me more was I
left feeling that our little Bashie had grown up to BECOME a pretty amazing
lady. And that Heavenly Father must
be so proud of her.
Elder
Dallin H. Oaks said, “In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach
us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become
something.”
He
continues, “From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just
an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have DONE. It is an acknowledgement of the final
effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have BECOME. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to
become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”
Grandma Bashie
was converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and lived it. She loved the Savior and she followed
His example. She became what her
Heavenly Father desired her to become.
I’d like to
share three examples that stand out to me the most when I think about her of
how she has followed the Savior and became more like Him.
1) Bashie lived a life filled with joy and happiness.
2 Ne. 2:25 reads, “Adam fell that
men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
Elder
Oaks taught, “One of the greatest of all God’s revelations is Father Lehi’s
teaching that “men are, that they might have joy.” Joy is more than happiness. Joy is the ultimate sensation of well-being. It comes from being complete and in
harmony with our Creator and his eternal laws.”
Grandma had
joy. She was always happy, upbeat,
fun, lively and bubbly.
Her joy was contagious and she always made others feel good and loved.
I had a
roommate in college who loved to visit grandma with me. Anytime I was going to see her she
asked if she could come along. My
friend Kathy, always left feeling so happy and up-lifted. Just a few months ago Kathy told me
that whenever she’s trying to cheer up her children or friends she does what
she calls, “The Grandma Bashie”.
Which goes something like this…”oooooo” with a shimmy.
I think it’s
hard for any of us to think about grandma without seeing her big smile and
happy laugh. Even the last time I
saw her, which was the day before Christmas, she was all smiles and
giggles.
Grandma
lived a life full of joy because she was in harmony with the Lord and His will
for her.
2) Bashie was devoted to the Lord and
her family
2 Nephi 31:20 “Wherefore, ye must press forward with
a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of
God and of all men. Wherefore, if
ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the
end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”
Bashie
pressed forward with steadfastness in Christ for almost 98 yrs. She had a testimony of the Plan of
Salvation and taught her family this through word and deed. She knew that because of Christ she
could live with her family and Him again.
Therefore, she pressed forward and endured to the end.
She was
deeply committed to her family.
She did her best to make a difference in each person’s life. I feel like grandma has always been a
key part of my life. Since her
passing I have had little flashbacks come into my mind where she made a
difference in my life.
A little Halloween card
she gave me as a child which I kept for years
She took me to my first
musical which began my love for them.
She gave me my first
camera, and now photography has become such a huge part of my life.
Feeling pretty cool
sitting on top of her Winnebago watching the Rose parade.
Coming to stay with us
after grandpa died and then again after my dad died.
Moving to Laguna to be
closer to us and then again moving to Utah to be nearby.
She gave me a neat little
box from Russia that I still love.
Playing on her vibrating
exercise belt to help us “shake our bootie” just a little bit better.
Running straight to her
toy drawer and always being amazed that we could find ANOTHER box of Cracker
Jacks.
Always knowing I could
count of a $25 check for Christmas, especially in college.
Celebrating our birthdays
together each year.
Having her show us her
moves when she took Disco Dancing lessons
I said to her one time,
“Wow Grandma, I can’t believe how healthy you are for your age.” She responded quickly with, “Well, it
didn’t just happen, I planned it that way. I don’t take medications, I take vitamins.”
And of course, listening
to her stories from her childhood.
These are just a few
things that come to mind and I know each of you have your own memories of where
she made a difference in your life as well. And you’ll have a chance to share those thoughts soonJ
I’m grateful for the
example she set of her commitment to our Savior and her commitment to her family.
3) Bashie had charity: the pure love
of Christ
Moroni 7:45-47 “And charity suffereth long, and is
kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the
truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things.
Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.
To me, this
describes Bathsheba May Fisher Thomander.
This was her crowning achievement.
Elder
Oaks said, “The reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater
than even the most significant acts of goodness is because charity, which is
“the pure love of Christ” is not an act but a condition or state of being. Charity is something one becomes.
No matter what
relationship or interaction you had with Bashie, you came away feeling
loved. You knew she cared about
you and loved you. I asked each of
my children what they remember most about Grandma Bashie and each one immediately
expressed that she was happy, kind and loved them.
Grandma
loved people. She loved to visit
with anyone. You always knew you
needed to set plenty of time aside if you were going to chat. She was smart, confident and always had
great stories to share. But more
important, when you were with her, she made you feel peaceful,
comfort and love.
One time Rachel
was scared to go visit her in the hospital cause she didn’t know what she’d
look like or how sick she’d be. My
grandma kept asking us where Rachel was and that she missed her. We told that to Rachel when we got home
so the next time she agreed to go.
At that next visit Grandma made sure to make Rachel feel at ease about
the situation and was so concerned about Rachel rather than herself. She was a valiant representative of
Christ and his pure love.
Moroni 7:48 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray
unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this
love [CHARITY], which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his
Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this
hope, that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”
So, who did Bashie
BECOME during her time here on earth?
She became a true follower of our Savior, Jesus Christ and she will find
that when he appears, she will be like Him.
When Grandma
passed away, I think we can all agree that we were happy for her. She could proudly proclaim as Paul did,
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
I imagined
what a glorious reunion must have taken place. She was the last of her immediate family to pass through the
veil and I can imagine her siblings and parents there to greet her. She finally got to be with her father
again after only knowing him a few short years on this earth. I imagine my dad was there to greet her
too, along with many other friends and family. What a wonderful reunion she had. But even better than that was the reunion she must have had
with her Father in Heaven.
Brigham
Young taught, “When you. . . . see our Father, you will see a being with whom
you have long been acquainted, and He will receive you into His arms, and you
will be ready to fall into His embrace and kiss Him... . You will be so glad and joyful. . . .
When you are qualified and purified. . . . you can endure the glory of
eternity. (JD 4:54-55)
I know that
Grandma Bashie became the person her Father in Heaven wanted her to become and
therefore has qualified to be reunited with Him.
I leave with
you my love and gratitude for this amazing women, Grandma Bashie and the legacy
she left us.
I testify
that the Plan of Salvation is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which
includes all the doctrines and ordinances of this gospel. And, that if we follow our Savior on
this path we will also qualify to return home to our Father.
I testify
that our Savior, Jesus Christ made this possible for us through the Atonement
and that it is only through him that we can become who our Father in Heaven
desires us to become.
I leave this
testimony with you.
In the name
of Jesus Christ, Amen.
