23 Apr 2022, Saturday

22 Apr 2022, Saturday

Prioritized Daily Task

Debbie got a phone call early this morning from Jody Traveller, Debbie's daughter. Emily Traveller, Jon and Kari's 16-year-old daughter, who is active in gymnastics, a cheerleader at school, active in church, and very popular with the youth and adults was in an accident riding on a 4-wheeler Razor with her boyfriend and another couple, the boy of the other couple was driving, the Razor flipped over, Emily was pinned under, broke her neck was broken in 4 places and she is paralyzed from her neck down. Emily was not wearing her seat belt or a helmet. Her brother, Tyler, who is married to Samantha Gourley, was at Disney World in FL. They left and are on their way home. The two boys walked away with scratches and the other girl has an injured shoulder and is in the hospital.

10:30 AM - viewing at 1541 N. 1300 W., Pleasant Grove, UT ward building and the funeral of Mary Veloy Singleton Allenbach followed at 11:00 AM. Randy Hobbs' sister, Pam Hobbs Allenbach is a daughter-in-law. Pam's husband is Rick Allenbach. None of Pam's siblings attended and her mother, Shirley Hobbs, is sick and not able to come. Debbie and Pam have been very close for many years and appreciated Debbie coming. At 1:00 PM the services at the church ended and the family went to the Spanish Fork Cemetery where she was buried and the grave dedicated. * I would like to have known Veloy and her husband, Herman. To them, there was no such thing as a stranger. A stranger is only a friend they had not met. Herman was a dentist and they lived near Vancouver, Washington. Herman built their home and another 2 or 3 cottages in a compound in the forest. He would see an individual or a family on the street and ask them if they were hungry. He would call Veloy and tell her they are having company for dinner. Over the years there was a total of around 43 that would bring home, sometimes they would stay overnight, sometimes they would stay for days, weeks, or months, one family stayed for 5 years. In Matthew 25:37 ...... Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. I did not know this couple but what I learned today I was very much like to have known them. Brent the son just younger than Rick, Pam Hobbs' husband, gave Rick, his brother, a kidney when he could not find a donor. When the children were young Herman and Veloy were driving from Southern California to Utah and stopped in Las Vegas for a potty break. They were in a large casino, resembling the great and spacious building. Herman gathered all the rowdy children and was trying to teach them not to gamble. The odds are always in favor of the casino; that is why they are able to build such large and beautiful buildings. They get their money from people who don't know this. Veloy was not with them but was next to some slot machines. She dug through her purse and found some coins and put them in a slot machine and pulled the handle (on the one arm bandit) and bells started ringing, shouting, and money fell from the slot machine. She had hit the jackpot. Veloy was waving her arms, dancing, and putting hand fulls of money in her purse. The children saw all this and Herman just rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. Veloy was very talented. When she was 3 years old, she sang in her sacrament meeting. She was in charge of her ward's roadshows and none of the other wards wanted to compete, Their leaders said there is no way we can compete against Veloy. She was good friends with some of the crew in the New York Broadway show Phantom of the Opera. They would call her and sing happy birthday to her. When they learned she was not going to live and was very ill, they called and sang to her. Bishop David Blake conducted and was the concluding speaker. He looked out over the audience and said this is what Veloy wanted, for all of you to be together. There are two loves: one, mourning, which is a true expression of love. Two, a joyful reunion is full of love. Love is the only way to take sorrow out of death. Veloy's favorite song was Liebestraum, which means, DREAM OF LOVE, by Franz Liszt, published in 1850 and was played at the funeral.

At the end of the funeral Jill Allenbach, a daughter, read the following poem Veloy wrote: The Last Road

My last mortal sunset gleams on my hourglass as the last golden

grain of sand swirls gracefully toward it’s appointed place. I am crossing

the off-ramp from the boulevard of life to the last road.

I had been sent to earth by God’s great design to receive

a piece of a dream. Now my yesterdays are dead. My tomorrows unborn.

My luggage is the essence of me — No more. No less.

Under his gaze, I played the cards I was dealt. Sometimes I won,

sometimes I lost.

With expanding senses, I step onto the road, a path of glorious

iridescent stones, edged by flowers of colors not known in mortality.

Bordering the sides, a soft mist swirls into space.

A guide is walking beside me. I see other travelers

also taking their hungry souls to be filled by God’s extravagant love.

But I wonder — How will my circumstances be viewed through

heavens lens?

Did I love enough? Care enough? Give enough?

Did I learn the beauty of truth?

When life was too hard to stand did I kneel?

Did I bear adversity with grace?

Did I see the hand of God in all things?

Am I fit for his Holy sight?

Then I realize that my life was not bitter ashes but in God’s guiding

hands. I am at peace.

My steps are getting lighter.

My guide points. We are at the Golden Door.

I am surrounded by heavenly music, the language of my heart.

My guide bids me enter.

I will step through the door where time cannot ever claim

the deathless substance of my soul.

I am here. I am expected. by Veloy Allenbach

Debbie and I came home. I went to Home Depot and picked up 72 pavers to use to test to see what design we want in the backyard. Dan came by and Debbie gave him a check for the work they did in the backyard. He is going to have a day labor come out to help me do some detailed work on getting the area ready to set the pavers that are coming next Thursday. Debbie went grocery shopping.

This evening Debbie and I watched the movie Blind Side starring Quinton Aaron as Big Mike or Michael, a black orphan who was taken in by a family. His life was turned around and he excelled. It was a follow-up today from the funeral service of Veloy Allenbach of what she and her husband did with 43 individuals during the time she and her husband were on this earth.

11:30 PM - Cooper Traveller and Kenna, his fiancee, came by with two jeeps in their trailer back from Moab on their way to Twin Falls. We met then on the corner and gave them snacks to eat while driving home.