Funerals in Mescalero

Wow, have we learned a lot this past week. It has been a growing expereience for us. We had a elderly lady who is a member of the church, Zola Ahidley, who passed away. We were headed down the mountain after a long day work when we received a call from Michelene, Zola's daughter, saying her mom was in the care center and not doing very well. She asked for a blessing. So we turned around and went back up the mountain. When we reached the care center her mother lay there on the bed laboring for breath. It brought back a flood of memories of my mom and I began to get emotional. Dad asked Micheline to say a prayer and she made the comment that her mother had suffered long enough and for the Lord to take her, if it was His will. Dad and brother Fossum gave her a blessing. The first words out of his mouth was, Zola, this will be the last ordinance you will receive while here on this earth. That really took me by surprise and then he finished the blessing telling her that her life was compelte here on this earth and even though her family and friends would miss her, she was needed on the other side. She had loved ones there who were waiting for her. It was a very humbling experience because I felt like she was being sent to the other side --- and she was. She died the next morning at 4:00 a.m. Dad was asked to conduct at her funeral and Micheline decided to hold the funeral in Ruidoso instead of Mescalero because our chapel is so small. She was right because about 150 people came. They were very interested in our pictures so we took small tours around the building showing the beautiful paintings. THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED! I saw a missionary opportunity and ran to the car and got some pass a long cards and quite a few of them were taken as well. The funeral went very well and dad gave a great speech. He was very nervous though. But the night before the funeral, Michaeline called me and asked me to help dress her mothers body. I accepted but was very reluctant. I have never done this before. I got so nervous that I asked dad for a blessing to help calm me. It was a spiritual expereience dressing her in her temple clothing and I thanked Michaelen for that opportunity. It also brought more memories of my dear mom, whom I miss terribly. I asked Zola to say hi to my mom for me.

Zola was a medicine woman in the Apache tribe and very well respected. The family tried to construct the teepee in front of her home with an arbor which is traditional. It was bitter cold outside and the wind blew so hard I think a lot of people got sick. I took a picture of the tent and arbor but it was never completed due to cold weather. It was a growing expereince for us. One I will never forget. These are beautiful people and we certainly love them.