This blog was retired long ago, but I wanted to invite my loyal followers to this fun event happening this Thursday, February 1st, 2024.
Enduring to the End
Doctrine and Covenants 50:5
But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life.
One thing that could be said for all of my Grandmothers is that each one of them endured, and endured well to the end. I watched my Grandma Dee Dee continue to serve as ward organist, as a visiting teacher, and in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers organization right up until she had to be moved from her home and into a care center. My Grandma Emmy was a wonderful Relief Society, Primary and Sunday School teacher. She continued to teach and lead her family as long as she possibly could. My Grandma Moon, despite all of her physical restrictions remained positive and loved and served her family her entire life. Each one of these women were dedicated to their families, their Heavenly Father, their Savior and his church for as long as her bodies and minds were able. I will forever be grateful to be their granddaughter and to have been loved and influenced by every one of them. I look forward to being with them again some day.
Eternal Marriage
4 Nephi 1:11
And they were married, and given in marriage, and were blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.
Grandma Moon was devoted to her man 110%. Grandma thought Grandpa was IT and he thought the same about her. One thing I’ll always remember about Grandma is how Grandpa could make her laugh. He’d tell a funny story—sometimes not all together true, and she’d laugh and laugh and say “Oh Verlin!”. You could tell just by the way they looked at each other how much they absolutely adored one another. I learned a lot about how a marriage should be by watching them love and take care of one another. After Grandma’s stroke people would talk to Grandpa like she had become a burden to him, but Grandpa never thought of her as a burden, ever. He said, “This was life—this is what you do when you are celestial partners”. He once told one of his daughters, “Jill, I wouldn’t take one moment of the time away that I have spent with your mother. I have enjoyed every second that she has been in my life.” Grandma was his Queen and he treated her like one! Grandma and Grandpa loved to hold hands. If they were sitting by each other they were holding hands. The day before Grandma passed away Grandpa went to visit her (she was being cared for in a home care facility in
Organize Every Needful Thing
Doctrine and Covenants 88:119
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God
My Grandma Moon was an excellent housekeeper. She worked hard to keep her house clean and all of her closets and drawers organized. A place for everything, and everything in its place. She had a certain way of doing things. She liked her towels folded a particular way and her dishwasher loaded just so. We all joked about how when someone else loaded her dishwasher Grandma would sneak in behind them and load it “the right way”. Her home was a house of order. A place where the Spirit could dwell…her home was a little slice of heaven on earth and her entire family loved to be there.
Opposition
2Nephi
For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.
When Grandma was in her early 40’s she suffered a sever stroke that left her right side paralyzed. In an instant her life changed completely. She eventually learned to walk with a brace. She was right handed so she had to learn to do everything with her left hand. She could no longer play the piano (something she loved) or work outside after that. My Aunt Judy, Grandma’s youngest, was 12 at the time and took over many of the household responsibilities, which was a challenge for someone so young. My Aunt Jill, who was attending Ricks College at the time, left school to come home and help with the farm, housework and care of Grandma. Over time Grandma learned to cook, clean, do their bookkeeping, and whatever else she could around the house. Her pace was slower and she had to ask for help with many of the things that used to be so easy for her, but she adapted and was happy. I never once heard her complain about her situation or the things she could no longer do.
Simple Things
…but behold I say unto you, by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…
Grandma Moon was a simple woman. The thing that made her happiest was her family. In addition to that there were a few other things she enjoyed…
-Cold Root Beer (or rut beer, as she called it)
-Chocolates, especially the ones with nuts!
-Roses—both the way they looked and the way they smelled
-Warm potato salad
-Fries from the Malad Drive-Inn. She’d bite off both ends then eat the middle
-The color pink
-Christmas, although she only liked to listen to Christmas music during the holidays, unlike my Grandpa who likes to listen to it all year round!
-Bears, she collected them, she wasn’t picky, she loved them all, even the Jazz bear!
-Chocolate malts from the Malad Drive-Inn
-Clean sheets
-Donuts with chocolate or maple frosting
-Opening presents, it has been said that she enjoyed opening the present more than seeing what was inside
-Warm Summer days
-Talking on the phone with her best friend Alta and phone calls from her children
-Her utility room (When I was little I called it her utiddly room) It had her washer and dryer, and sewing machine and she could watch out the window for Grandpa to come in from working on the farm
-Her typewriter. When her stroke took the use of her right hand she became dependent on that typewriter for all her bills, paperwork and she even wrote out her checks on it.
-Her shredder. She had a bit of a fear of identity theft so before the shredder she would tear things up in tiny little pieces. Grandpa hated that shredder. It never failed—when Grandpa would just be getting to sleep Grandma would fire up that shredder, she loved it!
-The D.I. When Grandpa was out working and one of her girls would be with her she’d tell them, “Hurry up, let’s go downstairs. I’ve got some stuff to send to the D.I. If your Dad wonders where it went, you don’t know!”
-Her purse
-She loved to have her hair curled and she loved to look beautiful for Grandpa
-Fresh strawberries, especially strawberry shortcake
Grandma was grateful for and appreciated the little things in life.
Grandma Moon
Grandma Moon was my mother’s mother. I was her first grandchild and probably her favorite! Actually, I think every one of her grandchildren thought they were her favorite in the way that she loved unconditionally and made every one of us feel important and special. She was probably the kindest woman I have ever met. She was a sweetheart and everyone adored her.
Work
Hard work is a blessing of God. It involves going after it “with all your heart, might mind and strength.” (Doctrine & Covenants 4:2) That alone is the difference between the average and the excellent.
F. David Stanley
Grandma Moon was a hard worker. She was a devoted wife and mother of 6 children: a son who died as an infant, another son and 4 daughters. She not only ran a household—and ran it well, but also spent a great deal of time outdoors helping on the farm, milking cows and driving the tractor. She could work as hard as any man. She also grew a garden and bottled everything she harvested. She was a wonderful cook. She spent numerous hours sewing and patching clothes. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed with keeping house I think of Grandma and am reminded I don’t have it so hard without a farm to care for as well.
Our wedding day, March 18, 1993 Grandma Emmy and Grandma Dee Dee are on the far right.Gingerbread Cookies
Grandmother, Children’s Songbook pg 200
You give me a kiss. You give me a hug. You smile when you see me too.
You read me a book. You (play) me a song. You whisper you love me too.
I wish every child in the whole wide world had a grandmother just like you.
Grandma Dee Dee was a natural at being a grandmother. She never forgot a birthday—we could always expect a card with a little spending money inside. For Christmas she handed out marshmallow Santa’s attached to an envelope holding a crisp new dollar bill. During the holidays she made the very best gingerbread cookies ever! I looked forward to them every year. The thing I remember most was Grandma Dee Dee coming to all our special family gatherings—performances, baby blessings, baptisms, and Sunday dinners to name a few. I remember having Grandma Emmy and Grandma Dee Dee over for birthday and Sunday dinners at our house. After the meal Grandma Emmy and my Dad would sit at the table and talk politics while Grandma Dee Dee would sit in the living room and talk with us kids or play the piano while we sang along. I always felt so lucky to have an extra grandmother!
The Blessings of Service
Mosiah 2:17
And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
As Grandma Dee Dee entered her mid-80’s her eyes began to fail and she could no longer drive. I had the opportunity to take her grocery shopping once a week for about a year. I was happy to help but nervous about having to take a 1 and 3 year old during nap time. We went every Monday afternoon after I dropped off my oldest son to Kindergarten. It turned out to be a time the kids and I looked forward to every week. My two little ones loved seeing their Great-Grandma Dee Dee and I was pleasantly surprised that they handled missing their naps pretty well. I think Grandma enjoyed seeing them just as much as they enjoyed seeing her. I enjoyed getting to know Grandma better and appreciated our one-on-one time each week. Shortly after I began taking Grandma shopping, Kevin lost his job. Money was tight but we were blessed as I would take Grandma shopping I’d also shop for just the necessities for our family and somehow always had the money to cover what we needed. I am so grateful for that extra time I was given with Grandma Dee Dee each Monday. What a wonderful blessing it was.
My Grandma Dee Dee was actually my Great Aunt and Grandma Emmy’s sister. Several years after Grandpa Sollie passed away Grandma Dee Dee’s husband Tom passed away. These two sisters lived just minutes apart and looked to each other for friendship, companionship, and support. Grandma Emmy had six children while Grandma Dee Dee was never ever able to bear children. Our family included Grandma Dee Dee (or Aunt Dee as all Grandma Emmy’s children called her) in all of our family gatherings. She was as much a grandma to me as both my biological grandmas and she too taught me many lessons.
Mother’s Day
…all women have within their divine nature both the inherent talent and the stewardship to mother…
M. Russell Ballard
Every Mother’s Day I honor my mother and my grandmothers. I had a special place in my heart for my Grandma Dee Dee, especially after becoming a mother myself. I don’t know what it must have felt like to not be able to have children but my heart ached for her and hoped that her “adopted” family helped fill the void. I remember her telling us often at family gatherings how much she loved us, how grateful she was for us, and how much we blessed her life. I hope she knew how much she blessed our lives. I hope she knew how much she blessed my life. She was a wonderful loving mother to all of us and we were blessed to have her as such an important part of our family.
The Gift of Music
John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Grandma Dee Dee was an incredible piano player! She could play anything by ear, and I do mean anything. All you had to do was sing her a tune and she could play it. I have fond memories of us performing at a family Christmas party. We all crowded into Grandma Emmy’s little living room (there were probably over 35 of us) and she played Christmas songs on the piano while I played along on the flute. I can remember when I first heard the hymn As I Have Loved You. I loved that song. I asked Grandma Dee Dee if she had heard it and she hadn’t so she had me sing it to her. Then she sat down at the piano and played it. I learned it on the flute and we played it together. I guess you could say it became “our song”. Every time I hear or sing the song As I Have Loved You I think of her.
Worth the Wait
Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we wanted them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.
President Joseph F. Smith
Grandma Emmy met Grandpa Sollie when she was just 15 years old. She was at a basketball game and he was a referee. She saw him, she liked him, and then she tripped him to get his attention. It worked and they began courting. Grandpa was 7 years older than Grandma so they had a bit of a wait until she was old enough to marry. They were married about 6 years later by President Harold B. Lee in her parents’ home. Grandma and Grandpa were not of the same faith but Grandma hoped her Sollie would one day become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and that they could be sealed together for eternity in the
Seek Wisdom
Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Grandma Emmy learned from each person she associated with and many of the “Pearls of Wisdom” she gathered on life’s journey were posted on her fridge. A few that could be found there were:
“There’s no pillow quite so soft as a father’s strong shoulder” Richard L. Evans. It was accompanied by a picture of a dad with a sleepy little son on his shoulder.
“The things which the child in us loved, remain in our hearts forever” -Dr. Bond’s office (Grandma’s Dr.)
“Walk towards the light and the shadows will fall behind you” -President Thomas S. Monson
“I refuse to enter a battle of wits with an unarmed person” -Mark Sollis (Grandma’s son)
“Unhappiness is not knowing what we want and breaking our necks to get it” -Grandma Child (Grandma Emmy’s mother)
“Don’t lose faith in what you know because of what you don’t know” -Anon
“Run with patience the race that is set before us” -Anon
Family Unity
Mosiah 18:21
And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
When I was just 6 or 7 years old my parents and all of my aunts and uncles began building a family cabin. I have memories of spending evenings building forts and playing in the woods while my dad and uncles hammered away into the night. The cabin became a fun place to gather with family and friends. As I grew older I learned that the cabin was a dream of my Grandma Emmy’s—to have a place where all her family could be together, strengthen one another, and have fun together. Grandma Emmy mortgaged her own home to provide financing for the cabin. The cabin continues to bless Grandma’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I am at the cabin as I type this, enjoying a fun vacation with Kevin and our kids. If asked what was most important to my Grandma Emmy, I would say without hesitation, that it was her faith and her family. She understood what mattered most and her life reflected it in the way she lived every single day.
Cousins Camp 2011
My parents grand kids gathered at the family cabin for our annual cousins camp!
Be Kind
D&C4:6
Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
Grandma Emmy had a fun house! A great big backyard where we had fun family picnics on the 24th of July. The inside wasn’t very big but we somehow managed to fit the entire family into her basement for Christmas parties and Thanksgiving. She had stairs leading to the basement that made a couple of turns, making them very fun to play on. There was a huge chalkboard on one of the basement walls where we played school for hours. Grandma had a laundry shoot, perfect size for a child to fit through…a great game, down the shoot, up the stairs and then back down the shoot again. Grandma had a pool table that took up a big portion of the main room in the basement, although I never remember anyone playing pool. It was usually covered with a tablecloth and covered with tons of good food. The best part of her entire house was the Christmas tree in the basement. She kept it up all year round as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and to be kind and Christ like all the year through.
(Our oldest, Jackson with his Great Grandma Emmy)The Gift of Motherhood
The Family:A Proclamation to the World, Paragraph 7
The family is ordained of God…Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.
I can remember going to visit Grandma Emmy as a young mother. I had just graduated from college and had my first son, Jackson. Kevin was still in college and working 3 jobs so that I could be home with our baby. Grandma gave me some advice that I’ve never forgotten. She talked to me about the blessing of raising children and of being a mother. She spoke of the importance of mothers raising their children and that when times are tough, it’s ok to live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, if that’s what it takes to be home with the children. I’ve thought about that conversation often over the years, especially through hard times when I wondered how we would ever make ends meet with just one breadwinner. Every time I make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I think of Grandma.
Keep on Sweethearting
Doctrine and Covenants 25:14
Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him.
Although I never knew my Grandpa Sollie, he and my Grandma Emmy set a wonderful example of an eternal marriage. Grandma was devoted to Grandpa in his life and in his death in the way she loved, served and respected him. I always knew of the deep love Grandma had for her husband. Their union was eternal and she knew it with all her heart. When each of her grandkids got engaged it was tradition to take our fiancés to visit grandma and tell her of our announcement. She would often be one of the firsts to see the engagement ring and give her congratulations. Grandma would share stories of her and Grandpa, of their love for each other and for the Savior. She talked of the joys and the sorrows that marriage will bring, “but all are wonderful when you work through it together”. She always gave the best advice, “Keep the Savior at the center of your marriage, and don’t ever stop sweethearting!” Grandma used to often tell me that when she finally got to see Grandpa Sollie again she was going to sing to him, “Kiss me once and kiss me twice and kiss me once again, it’s been a long, long time!” I have no doubt that she did sing that to him and that they are in the spirit world sweethearting every single day.
Personal Revelation
D&C 42:61
If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”
One afternoon Grandma Emmy was folding laundry when she heard a voice that said, “Emma, your life will never be the same”. She dropped the shirt that she was hanging back into the laundry basket, in complete shock. Then the phone rang, it was the hospital telling her Sollie had collapsed and to come and get him. That was the beginning of the brain tumor. This story reminds me that God knows each of His children. He will communicate with us if we let Him. He warns us, He reminds us, He shows us, and He helps us. God was aware of Grandma Emmy and what was about to happen to her and her family. He let her know He was there and He never left her alone.
Trust in the Lord with All thy Heart
Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Grandpa eventually lapsed into a coma for 4 days in his home. When he awoke he sat up and said, “I have been to a better place but I didn’t like it as well because you and the children were not there”. He went on to say, “The lot is let, the die is cast, and there is no turning back”. He then went back into a coma for another day. Grandma had been up all night with him and that morning her brothers came to give him a blessing. They asked Grandma, “What do you want us to say?” To that she replied, “I don’t know, you should know, you hold the priesthood!” Then Grandma walked around the bed and sat by Grandpa Sollie. He was lying so still but his head was tilted toward her. She asked him, “What should they say?” Then Grandpa opened his eyes, looked at Grandma with his eyes full of love, then shut them, sighed peacefully, and then he was gone. Grandma later said, “God made the decision. No prayer was needed, his mission was complete.”
Did You Think to Pray? 2Nephi 32:9
But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee that thy performance my be for the welfare of thy soul
When Grandma Emmy and Grandpa Sollie were on their honeymoon, Grandma came out of the bathroom ready for her first night with Grandpa, thinking they would start their marriage with prayer. She was surprised to find that Grandpa was already in bed. Grandma asked, “Sollie aren’t we going to pray?” and Grandpa replied, “What’s the purpose, they only hit the ceiling anyway”. Grandma was determined never to cry to a man to get her way so she stood tall and said, “Well, I’m glad I kept some money for a phone call home.” She went back into the bathroom and quickly realized she had nothing to change into so she put her bathrobe over her pajamas. Upon entering the bedroom she found Grandpa Sollie sitting at the edge of the bed. He said, “Emma that will never happen again”. The two of them prayed together that night and continued to pray throughout their marriage, never missed.
Everything has its Purpose
Doctrine and Covenants 64:32-33
But all things must come to pass in their time. Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Grandpa Sollie was drafted into the U.S.Navy as an apprentice seaman. Grandpa and Grandma thought he would be exempt because he had a knee injury and two children, but it was WWII and men were needed. He went off to boot camp at
Lessons Learned from Grandma
To my 5 beautiful girls; Emmy Diana, Kloe May, Gracie Anne, Janie Rose, and Lilly Rebecca and to all my future Grands and Greats.
My life has been blessed by the influence of three wonderful Grandmothers, Emma Leone Child Sollis (Grandma Emmy), Diana Amelia Child Martin (Grandma Dee Dee) and Ona Tolman Moon (Grandma Moon). Although they have all passed away, I find myself thinking about each one of them often…remembering lessons they taught me both through their examples and their stories. It’s Christmas time as I write this and I’ve been thinking a lot about the many fun memories and Christmas traditions that took place with my Grandmas. I can hardly remember any of the gifts I was given, but I remember in detail the family gatherings, the fun times and the great memories. Although none of my Grandmothers were wealthy, in a money sense, each of them gave me the greatest gifts over the years…the kind money can’t buy. Much of who I am comes from who they were and I want for my girls to know what wonderful, faithful lives my grandmothers lived. I hope these stories will build their faith, strengthen their testimonies and bring them closer to their Heavenly Father and their Savior Jesus Christ.
Today we finally met in person!
Jana brought me these very cute salt and pepper shakers (my collection is growing, time for the husband to build me a new shelf!) and she introduced me to these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies--they were seriously SO AMAZING! I'm not sure if she meant to leave the left overs at my house but me and the kids are glad she did! If you want to try some and you have a Harmon's grocery store in your neighborhood you can get them from their bakery. Go, get them now, you won't regret it!
Now I do make my scones and it does require me to pull out my frying pan and fill it with oil. But for this meal it's worth it.
The Sauce (so easy!)
Cover the scones with the sauce and then any toppings you like!
