Saturday, April 5, 2008

Alaska Trip

I returned from Alaska this past Tuesday having had the funeral on Saturday for Marsha. It was great to visit her family, son David Marshall Payton and Linda (I didn't get her last name). David has been married for one year to Fern, and she has two teenage daughters. David has a son, David and a daughter Lena, who has a son David! The funeral was unique in that it looked like a reunion of the Beverly Hillbillys, with the people who knew Marsha and the family, (about 60 people in attendance, with the Bishop and Relief Society President and the 5 of us). We (Me, Don, Robert, Roberta, Max) were all in dark suits and the rest were in tee shirts and tennis shoes or levis and paisley shirts. Marsha was cremated and they had her urn on the podium. Don gave the opening prayer, Robert did the eulogy, and the Bishop then opened it up to anyone who wanted to speak. I got up first and talked about Marsha and I growing up. I related some stories that were humorous, but I also talked how we got to where we were in our lives, having been separated as a family when we were young. Don then spoke, then Roberta, then Max, and then David's son David, his girlfriend, a little boy that was a friend of the family, and then the Bishop. We had lunch afterwards provided by the relief society. Funeral potatoes and ham and lots of dessert!

Amazingly, Marsha had come back to the church and had become especially active in the last two years of her life! We were shocked at how much influence she had on her family (she was a tremendous gatherer) and how she had so many friends. The Bishop remarked how he had been influenced by her, and how he watched her show up early on Sundays, in a wheelchair, two hours before the meeting, having taken a taxi to get to church! Awesome! And a young lady of about 27 came up to the five of us after the funeral and meal and introduced herself and said it was because of Marsha that she had joined the Church! Who would have guessed! We cried and hugged her and all of we Buffaloe Brothers and Sister were astounded and impressed with what we experienced at that funeral! It's amazing how the gospel and the spirit can have an effect on someone who opens there heart and is willing to listen and be influenced!

I realized how important family is, and I realized what kept us together as a unifying guide was the gospel and knowing the Church is true! It's comforting to know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going! I can't imagine not having all three of you, David, Becky, and Jessie and your husbands and your children, our wonderful Grandchildren to reside together after this life and throughout all eternity! I must strive to better improve myself and be more diligent in doing what's necessary to be able to stand with open arms welcoming my children into the life after this life!

Now, as to the less important things of the trip! Alaska was wonderful, it was't cold, though there was lots of snow and ice flows on the rivers and in the inlet! We flew into Anchorage and then rented a car and drove the 148 miles to Kenai and Soldatna where we stayed at a couples duplex that were friends and former Ward members of the Wells in Alaska. There names were Kearlee and Pam Wright. He was a former Branch President, and then a Stake President! They were wonderful!

We visited all of the old stomping grounds of the Wells family, including the high schools they went to, and the homes they lived in. We also went to Church on Sunday in Soldotna and the Wells Family went later in the day to the other ward in the Soldotna building to visit old friends.

We also met Rick for dinner Friday night (he does not do funerals, so he did not go to Marsha's) and we met his new wife Patty. We all liked her very much. We went to Rick's Saturday evening and he gave us forty pounds of salmon and halibut to bring home, which we brought in a cooler with dry ice, back to Las Vegas on the plane and then on to St George. It was a great trip and six of the Buffaloe Brother and Sisters were in one place at one time (Melody could not go!). It may be a long time or maybe never that we are able to get together all as one family again!

Well, this is my first attempt at blogging, and I was rather long and wordy, but I promise from here on in they will be shorter! Love your Dad and Mom