Once a missionary, always a missionary!

Picture:  Our last photo together on 12/30/2009

Yesterday, I woke up to exercise and read my scriptures and the first scripture I read was Alma 29:1 “O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!” I knew this scripture was speaking of Van.


Today at 2:38 pm, Van passed away. They took a bone marrow biopsy yesterday and the results showed he had only 1% of the cells needed to engraft. The doctors found blood clots blocking the vessels to the liver. He was having kidney failure, heart failure, and his lungs were continually bleeding. He had many bacterial and viral infections and received continuous platelets and red blood transfusions. In the last few days he was put on a pain pump. He has been on life support for the last week and a half except a day and a half when he saw and talked with our children. He was still able to communicate by nodding his head and squeezing our hands until the very last moment.


The Doctor told Van and me that he wouldn’t ever get better and asked Van if he had any questions for him. He used his finger to write one letter at a time, “how long from now?” He wanted to know how much longer before he passed on. The Doctor said he has never in his life seen anyone communicate on a ventilator in the patient’s last hours. Van had told me for the last few days that he was ready to go.


We called our families and they all came and we sang his two favorite hymns: “Where Can I Turn for Peace” and “More Holiness Give Me.” Then just the immediate family came in the room with our Bishop and talked, hugged, and kissed him. They sang, “I’m So Glad When Daddy Comes Home,” a Father’s Day tradition. He squeezed each child’s hand to tell them that he loved them. We all knelt down on the floor around his bed and put one hand on Van’s body and Bishop said an amazing prayer that gave us all peace. Everyone left but me. I held Van’s hand and tickled his arm (his favorite) while the nurses took out his breathing tube. He passed away within 10 minutes at 2:38 pm. It was very peaceful. I had the hymns playing in the background.


As per Van's request, a closed casket viewing for friends and family will be held Friday, June 11th from 6-8:00 pm at Tate Mortuary  (110 South Main Street in Tooele) and from 11-12:45 in the Relief Society room at the Tooele East Stake Center - 751 North 520 East (7th Street) in Tooele, Saturday, June 12th.  The family prayer will be at 12:45 and funeral services will begin at 1:00 pm  The interment will be at the Tooele City Cemetery. 

I have to tell you about one missionary experience. Today we wrapped the two copies of the Book of Mormon that he had purchased in Russian and Spanish for his favorite nurse and favorite house keeper at the hospital. I put his testimony in it and we delivered it to them. It was an emotional day. I was able to see the house keeper and she hugged me and cried with me and thanked me for that wonderful book. Van is the most AMAZING missionary I have ever met. He was doing missionary work up to the hour of his death and will continue the second he gets to the other side.


I love him so much and will miss him. I know the Lord is in charge and whatever happens is right. This is right. I love that everyone shared in our experience together. It was almost six month of ups and downs but I hope we are all better for the journey. I know I am. Thank you for your love and support. We will see you at the funeral or our address is 710 Fox Run Dr., Tooele, UT 84074.

Van's wish was that I make this blog into a hard back book as a journal for his children. This will be my last blog update.