Mom's Purse

I was asked by some of you to write down my thoughts about mom's purse.
These are the thoughts I gave at her funeral on Sat. Sept. 5, 2009.

This is grandma Mary's purse. Do you recognize it? When I was a
little girl our family of 10 would file in from the back of the chapel to
one of the front row benches. As we all sat there, our mother's purse was
quickly placed under the bench. I laid on her lap while she pulled out a hanky
and folded it just so. When she unfolded the hanky it had two little
hanky babies in it and she rocked them back and forth.

As a teenager I rummaged through her purse to find the car keys.
She let me borrow the car so I could rush off to the busy things teen-
agers have to do.

Then when I was married and had children and my children have had
children that purse has sat in the corner of our hospital rooms. It also
sat in the corner of our living room while babies were bathed and nursed.

Sometimes grandma would forget her purse and I had to call her. I would tell
her that I would get it to her tomorrow.

Last week she lay taking her few last breaths. While I watched her
breathe, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her purse. I don't know
why it bothered me but all of a sudden I realized she wouldn't
be taking her purse with her into the next life. And it had her cell phone in it!
I felt frantic. How could she just go to sleep and leave her purse?

She left this life on Aug. 30, 2009 and instead of taking her
purse, I know she took with her the most important things.
She took a love of the Savior and faith in his name.
She took a life of devoted service that will be missed.

When I see her again neither of us will have our purses. I hope when
we meet again I can return to her the great legacy of faith and service she gave to me.