Flashback Friday... President Swain
Time for a flashback!
Here you go... circa 1985. I was 8 years old.
This was the day of my baptism.
What do you see in this photo?
This is my family. Look at my cute grandma and grandpa... they look so young and healthy!
Oh heavens, my poor sister and her huge glasses!
We had a foster sister who lived with us for a while. She was Navajo Indian. Her name is Evangeline.
My dad looks pretty healthy. You can hardly tell that he's had a stroke!
By this time he had beat all of the odds. He was up out of the wheelchair they said he'd never get out of. He could walk. His right side was still paralyzed and his language, although miles from where he started, saying only meeka, meeka, was still tough to decipher.
My dad was bishop when he had his stroke. They actually didn't release him after the stroke. I only know that because I remember he was still bishop when I was baptized which was a couple of years later.
Although worthy, my dad couldn't baptize me, for obvious physical reasons!
This brings me to the man standing on your far right.
This is President Swain, who was later Patriarch Swain.
He passed away just recently and today my flashback is in memory of him.
I love this man... I have such great respect and admiration for him.
I called my sister after the funeral and she told me about it... all of the fun stories shared.
The testament to him was from his daughter that googled his name and found nothing. Of course she found nothing, the evidence of his life is nowhere online, but in the cars he helped fix, the air conditioners, the blessings he administered, his church service, it is in the people who love him, because of how selflessly he gave to them.
My family were some of those people.
My poor mom, with a handicapped husband and seven kids... left to run her household, depended on Jay Swain. And, he was always there for our family... even though he had a family of his own!
I cried with my sister as she said... Heavenly Father gave us a challenge, but didn't leave us alone to wade through it. There were people surrounding us that helped us get through. This man was one of those people. Hours and hours of service he gave to our family.
He and his wife are/were still in mom's neighborhood, still serving, still precious gems of friendship that my mom and dad would always treasure. I treasure him too.
He was a man of integrity... and joy! I loved his laugh!
I'm so thankful to him for caring so well for us, and watching over our family.
Side note to this flashback.
My two older kids were pretty sad when they approached 8 years old and talked to their dad about baptism. He would not be performing that ordinance for them.
It was comforting for both me and them to know I hadn't been baptized by my dad. Many people aren't!!! It's OK!!!
I hold a dear spot in my heart for our good friend Shawn who is watching out for our family today, taking care of us in so many ways. I wonder if my kids will have special feelings about him when they are grown.
Ha! I found this image tonight!!! I, of course decorated for the little reception after the baptism and this tree was part of the décor! Matt and my BIL were heading home and in charge of taking that... it didn't fit in the car... this was the solution! Scott held it out the sunroof the whole way home! Oh it was hilarious! No, I can't just leave it in the dumpster... who knows when you'll need a tree branch!!!
Oh, bless my husband for putting up with me!
