Believe to Achieve

SAD NEWS.   The best Visiting Teacher I have ever had passed away today.  I unexpectedly learned that she did not make through open heart surgery and had a moment of extreme sadness right in front of the entire Young Womens group and leaders.  She was in her 80s and was the pioneer of our ward along with her husband.  She had visited me last Thursday.  For 40 minutes we talked about how important families were (as I told her of my trip to Boston and seeing family).   She and I shared stories and I told her of my bittersweet Boston Marathon (mostly sweet).    She called me three times on Monday to find out how my foot was doing  and once on Tuesday.  I had tried to call her back to no avail.  And now I am so very sad I didn't get to say good bye.  She had diabetes but not a known heart condition until a heart attack on Tuesday in which she was hospitalized and prepared for surgery the next day.   I was working at the hospital that day but was so busy  I couldn't make it over to see her.  Then I was to introduce a Laurel to Relief Society at a Young Women's "What is there for Willing hands for me to do?".   I introduced my Laurel, Chevelle  after hearing there was a card for Lee Ann for us to sign.  I was like "oh good she is doing well,  I will see her at work tomorrow" (today) and then about 10 introductions later,  Laurie Baker of our ward introduced the girl that Lee Ann was to introduce and kept using the past tense to describe Lee Ann and that the day she was in the hospital she asked her husband for the paper she wrote up on her laurel to introduce and was worried that she would not have anyone there.  I looked around the room at other women and asked, "why is she using the past tense??? puzzled and then I whispered to the other table very worried "did she die?"   And they nodded.  And I immediately had a shock reaction sobbing hysterically for several minutes.   I was deeply saddened to lose my friend and neighbor.  She lives two door down from me.  Her husband is so wonderful and now he is all alone.   I managed to work all day which helped my swollen eyes to heal.    There is just never enough time in this life.....I just wish we had more conversations to share on this earth.     Her husband felt very good that his wife would be fine so I didn't have any sense of worry.   But she is fine just not in the way we see things on this earth.   I am thankful for that knowledge.