Friends who inspire....

The events of the past few weeks have made me review my life.

Last weekend my mom called to tell me that Celia (Hunt) Turley, a good friend from high school had past away. I knew Celia had be fighting leukemia but I assumed modern medicine would prevail.

Her mother, who is battling phase 3 colon cancer herself, wrote the obituary for Celia. She ended a obituary by saying, "We are so blessed to have had her for 39 years." 39 years!

How fast those 39 years have gone by for me.

As children, Celia came to almost all my birthday parties. Her mother and father were my primary teachers, and high school science teacher, bless their hearts for enduring that. She is in every memory of have of Young Women's. We played sports together, and shared many friends and high school activities together. The main thing I remember about Celia is she was always found doing the right thing. She always put herself in the right places, with good friends. She always made the right decision that would lead her to happiness. She was obedient.

Over the past 20 year since graduations, Celia and I have not really keep in contact, but I've heard reports of Celia's life through her mother and sisters who are friends with my little sister. Celia's wisdom to live an obedient continued to lead her to happiness. She became a wife and mother. She continued to be a good sister and daughter. And she continued to serve and bless those around her by always being in the right place and doing the right things. Celia knew how to follow the spirit. And although her young family will mourn her lose, I am certain they were blessed to have her as a mother and example.

As I thought about Celia and all the events of her life, I thought, although no one like to hear of a young mother dying, she was prepared to return to our Heavenly Father. I, on the other hand can't imagine meeting my Maker right now. I'm not ready. I'm a slow learner. Unlike Celia, I am still perfecting my skills at living a more Christlike life. Being prepared isn't about accomplishment that we achieve, or experience that we must have but a change that must occur. That change of heart, mind, and body that the scripture talk about. And not just changing for Sundays and special events, but a consistent moment to moment, day in and day out. A change that causes us to think, and speak no evil. A change that makes our actions always in the serves of our Savior.