A "Grandma Nuttall Wanna-Be"

Here I am, at age 59-1/2, on a Mission with my husband in Buenos Aires that is going to last until July 1, 2011. In the above photo, I was out working with the Sister Missionaries, and we just had to stop briefly for a "photo op" at the "Perfumeria".

Even though I miss our 4 children and 7 grandchildren terribly, I know that our Mission is blessing their lives and giving them an example of faith and service from us that they can follow in their own lives.

But, I am looking forward to someday to giving my grandchildren lots of "Big Grandma Hugs".

Recently, the grandmother of one of our missionaries, Elder Nuttall, passed away unexpectedly, at age 64, after Elder Nuttall had been here in our Mission for 5 months. 

 After his grandmother´s death, President Benton asked Elder Nuttall to write a tribute to his grandmother, which was to be read at her funeral. President Benton and Elder Nuttall also  shared Elder Nuttall´s tribute to his grandmother with me.

As I read Elder Nuttal´s loving tribute to his Grandma Nuttall, I was inspired to want to be like Elder Nuttall´s Grandma in my interactions with my own grandchildren.  She was an amazing, kind, loving and spiritual woman, and she also obviously gave a great example to her family of a woman who lived her faith, because Elder Nuttall looked to her strong example of faith, and he now has a strong faith of his own; strong enough to be a great missionary, who has a stalwart testimony of the Gospel

Elder Nuttall has given me permission to share some parts of his tribute to his Grandma Nuttal with you. It is my hope that all who read this will feel inspired to strive for a little more faith, a little more kindness to loved ones, and a little more desire to provide a good example to them.

 (I´m going to also post a photo of Elder Nuttall, but I need to wait a couple of weeks to take the photo, when I see him next at our Mission Transfer Meeting.)

So, here goes:

"This is for my Grandma:

It is hard for me to believe that I won´t be coming home to my Grandma Nuttall after my mission- I loved her so dearly, and I´m going to miss her alot, but I know that I am in the right place doing the right thing at this time in my life.

I first want to say the reason why I am on a mission. I´ve asked myself this question many times in the past five months that I´ve been in Argentina. I am here to help bring others to the same hope that we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints enjoy- the hope for eternal life, to live forever with our families and to return to that God who gave us life.

We read about this from the prophet Moroni in Moroni 7:41:

´And  what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold, I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ, and the power of his resurrection, ro be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him.´

I know that my Grandma Nuttall was and is a living testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ--she lived that which she knew, and I know that she has been received into the loving arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and has returned back to live with our Loving Heavenly Father. This is the hope that I have, and this is the hope that most of the world does not know. This is the reason why I am teaching the Gospel here in  Argentina, to help others receive the same hope and joy.

I had many wonderful experiences with my Grandma Nuttall, all throughout my life. One experience was that of always going to her house to visit with her on Christmas morning. Every Christmas of every year, I was always so excited to go to visit my Grandma and show her what Santa had brought me for Christmas. I can still feel the love and happiness that came to me from pulling up onto her driveway, going through her front door, and immediately running up to her to give her a nice big "Grandma Hug" on Christmas morning. These are memories that still flood me with feelings of love and happiness when I think of my Grandma Nuttall.

I especially cherish the memories I had with her before leaving on my mission. During my second semester at BYU and all throughout the summer, I remember feeling unusual desires to visit my Grandma. About 3 or 4 months before my mission, every Sunday night that came felt like one that needed to be spent with Grandma Nuttall, so I went to visit her every Sunday night.

Those months before my Mission, I also used to really talk with Grandma and Grandpa Nuttall even more than usual, and now, looking back, I know that these desires came from my Heavenly Father. I never knew that my Grandma was going to pass away during my mission--it never really crossed my mind. I thank my Heavenly Father, who I know loves me, so very much for impressing upon me the need to visit my Grandma Nuttall those few months before my Missioin.

I love her so very much, and I will be eternally grateful for my Father in Heaven´s inspiration to me to visit my Granma every Sunday before leaving for my Mission.

I feel broken, but I know that my loving Grandma Nuttall has returned to her loving Heavenly Father, and is now resting from all her troubles and cares. Thanks to Heavenly Father, she was able to pass away peacefully.(His family had related this to Elder Nuttall.)

I know that Heavenly Father had angels watching over and comforting my Grandma, and that my Savior Jesus Christ was with her the whole time, as stated in D. & C. 24:8: ´Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many, but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.´

I know that I will once again be able to be with my Grandma Nuttall and give her another big Grandma hug, along with the rest of my family. I love my Grandma, and I will miss her my entire life, but I have the hope and confidence that I will once again be with her."

Elder Gary Jordan Nuttall

From Sister Benton:

I love you too, Grandma Nuttall, and I´m inspired by your example to your family and others!