Tribute to Mary- By Phil

Alesha and I watched the DVD today that Matt(my brother) and Tanna put together about my Mom Mary. Due to the fact that she passed away when I was 5 I know very little about her life. I learned new things today and saw pictures of her I have never seen. Feelings and emotions I have not felt for sometime surfaced. I feel right now an overwhelming feeling of love for Mary and a deepened love for my Mom and Dad. Since I was not there with the family the night people shared stories I thought I would share a couple now.
Growing up, my only memories of Mary were seeing her once in the hospital and her funeral. I recall being at her bedside and seeing the name tag bracelet on her wrist. I to this day remember where the casket sat in the relief society room and which way she faced. I remember how she looked. I remember feeling sad. I remember talks were given in the chapel and the casket was taken through the side door of the chapel that I have never since seen open. I remember the cemetery. I believe the Bingham’s sang a song that has touched me ever since. It is the song you hear now called The Test. The message has pierced me and helped me put the tragedy into perspective.
These are the memories I had of Mary. They were somewhat sad and dreary. I found myself at times while growing up reading the memory book of Mary that was put together by sisters in our ward and hope to get a glimpse of my Mom. A very simple but special experience happened to me before leaving on my mission to Uruguay. While putting stickers in my scriptures one night a happy memory came into my mind. I remembered sitting around the dinning room table reading the Book of Mormon. I remembered my Mom helping me draw with colored pencils what was going on in the scriptures we were reading, similar to the stickers I was putting in my scriptures that night. I hold this experience near to my heart because it is the only happy memory I have of Mary.
Another neat experience happened when I arrived to Uruguay. One of the senior sister missionaries approached me on my first day and asked if I was Mary’s son. I just about fell over! She went on to tell me how she taught her when Mary was a youth. She told me how great she was and how proud she would be of me. This was a tender mercy I believe that God blessed me with and I will never forget it. What a great way to start off my first day in Uruguay! Later on she mailed me a picture she had saved from one of her classes with Mary. It was a picture Mary drew. I couldn’t believe that this sister missionary had saved it for all these years and it was now given to me. I have given this picture to Mindy because the picture showed how Mary wanted to be a nurse when she grew up. Mindy is living that dream that Mary had as a small girl.

The note attached said:
"As a teenager your mother wanted to be a nurse-thus the syringe on my calendar-Sun was in her eye. See you Oct. 6th

Sincerely,
Marcia Christiansen"

I am grateful for these experiences. God is aware of our family. He has been since the beginning. I am so grateful for our family. Although we have had our share of tragedies, we have come out of them stronger and blessed. I am so thankful to have 2 wonderful Moms. Thanks Mom and Dad for all you do for us kids. We have an amazing family.

PS Nate's legs are crossed to hide his grass stains. For that same reason Matt is standing behind the girls!