Ben and I just returned from Utah for an event we wished didn't have to happen. My grandpa Ashdown passed away early Monday morning at home with some of his children and grandma by his side. Grandpa was 84 years old. His cancer that was found in June quickly spread throughout his body, leaving him too weak for any treatment and ready to return home to his Heavenly Father. The funeral was an amazing tribute to grandpa's life and I don't think there was a dry eye in the entire congregation. It is so difficult for me to realize that he has passed. I will no longer see him sitting on his couch reading a book. I won't ever see him working hard in his garden, in which he was so proud of. I will no longer hear his intricate stories with such detail and memory. And the hardest of all, I will not be able to see him adore the rest of my children. Grandpa was an amazing man. He loved his family with everything he had. He was an amazing example of what a husband should be and always treated my grandma with so much love, admiration and respect. Grandpa was a hard worker and a man of great service. No one was exempt to his service and his good example. He touched hundreds, if not thousands of lives. He had a strong testimony in the gospel and lived it in it's entirety. Grandpa lived life the way that we all should. Heavenly Father needed his special spirit to continue his work on the other side. I know with a surety that grandpa is with our Heavenly Father. I know that when he was finally able to meet our Maker, He was able to tell him"well done thou good and faithful son". I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have. I know that I will be able to see grandpa again. I know that he is up there playing with his unborn great grandchildren and teaching the gospel, bragging about his amazing eternal family. I pray that the Spirit will help me get through this process of grieving. It is hard and seems like my feelings change minute by minute.
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| This pictures were taken by my talented cousin. He did an amazing job at capturing the emotion of this event. I think it was difficult for everyone involved. |
This is beautiful Linds. I don't remember a lot about your Grandpa, except his amazing garden and how sweet he and your Grandma were when we went to visit a few times. It's makes it just a little bit easier to move on when a loved one passes on, knowing that they are with our Heavenly Father. I can't imagine what life would be like if we didn't have that knowledge. Keep up your faith, you will see him again one day. Love you Linds!
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