after they are gonewhen heaven calls a loved one home, what about us?

Homeward Bound

Lorna’s funeral was held on August 30th 2014 at the Alpine West Stake Center.

Bishop Michael Gillispie and I can tell you that Lorna was very much involved in the planning of her service from the opening hymn to the closing hymn. She wanted those in attendance to “know what she knew” as she moved on for the rest of her second estate experience on the other side of the veil.

Opening Hymn: Our Saviors Love
Musical number sung by her Grandchildren: I Feel My Saviors Love
Musical number sung by some dear friends: Oh Lord, My Redeemer
Closing Hymn: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

On Sunday the 9th of June 2013 The Alpine West Stake was convened for Stake Conference.  A special Stake Conference.  President Conrad Gottfredson was to be released and a new Stake President was to be Sustained.  At 10:30 am soon after Blaine Butler was sustained as our new Stake President Lorna wrote the following in the note section of her phone:

“God is our Father in Heaven. I know God lives. I know that somehow He knows who I am. He knows my weaknesses, my strengths; my successes, my failures and He doesn’t keep score.

I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is my advocate with the Father. I have a testimony of His atoning sacrifice. I have experienced both the redeeming and enabling power of the Atonement.

I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know Thomas S. Monson is our Prophet today.

I have a testimony of the Temple and the power it has to change and mold our character when we attend regularly”.

Katie found this in Lorna’s phone the day after her funeral.  It wasn’t rehearsed.  Lorna wasn’t preparing for a lesson or a talk.  She didn’t share it with anybody.

It’s what Lorna knew that Sunday morning,  June 9, 2013.

She used Hymns to share that Testimony, and Witness of the Savior during her funeral service that beautiful Summer morning.

There was one musical number that was not Christ Centered—Homeward Bound—It was sung by Jason Baumgartner. Lorna had accompanied Jason in several musical numbers throughout the years.

In the quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed
When the sparrows stop their singing
And the sky is clear and red
When  the summers ceased it gleaming
When the corn is past it’s prime
When adventure’s lost its meaning-
I’ll be homeward bound in time
Bind me not to the pasture
Chain me not to the plow
Set me free to find my calling
And I’ll return to you somehow
If you find it’s me your missing
If your hoping I’ll return,
To your thoughts I’ll soon be listening,
And in the road I’ll stop and turn
Then the wind will  set me racing
As my journey nears it’s end
And the path I’ll be retracing
When I’m homeward bound again
Bind me not to the pasture
Chain me not to the plow
Set me free to find my calling
And I’ll return to you somehow
In the quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed
When the sparrows stop their singing
I’ll be homeward bound again.

We chose to not “bind her to the pasture” or “chain her to the plow”.  We chose to “set her free to find her calling” so she could “return to us somehow”.

By virtue of the enabling power of the Saviors Atonement,  that choice has brought us presence and peace.

Craig Jenkins