Nelda

This was the front of Nelda's memorial. It was taken on Thanksgiving this year. 

The inside. 

This was on my lap when I took the picture. This is a nice poem. 

 

Excerpts from the memorial service – not verbatim

 

ORLINDA WILLIAMS read her grandmother’s obituary and prayed.

 

Congregation sang “Teach Me Thy Way” with emphasis on the last verse which Nelda had underlined in her hymnbook:  Long as my life shall last,Teach me Thy way!  Where’er my lot be cast, Teach me Thy way!  Until the race is run, Until the journey’s done, Until the crown is won, Teach me Thy way!  (Surely she kept true as long as her life lasted and now her crown is won.)

 

LORRAINE LERWICK:  This is a great tribute to Jesus and the Father – just to tell Nelda’s story.  Matthew 28:16-20, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spakeunto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” I thought of speaking about baptism.  There was a lady being baptized that looked back and saw people following and said, “This seems like a funeral – well, I guess it is! – and it will make my next one happier.”  That’s why we are happy today, because the gospel came by a man sent by God, one named Duane Hopkins.  Last month I was with him in Ecuador.  He’s around 90 now and still sowing the same seed as he did in Elk Mountain all those years ago, and it is still producing the same fruit in South America.  In a letter from Duane he said, In a few hours you will be speaking at Nelda’s funeral and my thoughts are with you there.  I think of vows made and kept . . . these many years of faith and love and appreciation for the example of Jesus . . . and now the victory.  So many good memories.  This is the inheritance of life eternal, an inheritance that none can fight over, nor preserve or spend the natural – it is the spiritual that can never be erased.  I share the family’s sorrow, but am grateful for all the promises.  Think of Scott with you – I was a companion to his uncle Leroy and knew his mother and grandmother.  I will be with you all in spirit.

​My memories started when my brother Ken joined Duane to preach this gospel.  Pres won’t mind my saying that at the time he thought it was a waste.  He thought Ken should return and finish college, have a home and family . . . said, “There’s nothing like holding your first born child in your arms for the first time.”  But he doesn’t think that any more.  It was only a few weeks laterwhen Pres and Nelda made their choice, and Ken was telling my mother, “Here they are, Mom – my spiritual ‘first born’ – twins!”

​They were baptized about a quarter mile from the house in the Medicine Bow River.  George told me, “I never fish in that spot – it’s a sacred place.”  The place where they died.  It was no common day.  They appreciated life in a new way.  Jesus didn’t just say to go and teach all nations, but to go and give them the resources by baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Heb.8:12, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”  A new covenant when God sent His Son and now our past can be forgotten, but also . . . Heb 6:10, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”  I think of how they ministered unto all those young people on that ranch and I was one of them.

​Nelda loved to read the Bible.  She had such joy.  The time came when her children made their choice . . . When Willie was baptized his friend David was there.  He wanted to know what baptism was.  He said, “You leave the old person behind and are raised to be a new person in Christ.”  A few days later David said, “They better do it again – it didn’t take!”  But it did.  It takes awhile.

You can spend time from now until eternity thinking about what it means to have a Father in Heaven.  When Nelda woke every morning she gave her life to God again to be like Jesus that day, and every evening she remembered His blood that could make up for any lack in what we have done.  Provision for the day.  She had faith in that provision.  We could study forever about how the Holy Spirit helps, but she learned to love the Spirit of her Beloved.  No voice was more precious to her.  As we gather here today I pray that same voice would whisper to me each day.  I want to treat it like the sirens in Oklahoma where I have been laboring – when there is a serious warning I want to respond.  This is the voice of our Beloved, the Bridegroom, the One that wants to gather us to His wounded side.  To whisper thoughts that help us become what we couldn’t be in any other way.  I used to read in Luke 6 about loving your enemies and blessing them that curse you, and thinking that wastoo high – impossible!  But if we use the resources He gives – the help of His Son and the guidance of His Spirit – that’s what He wants to see.  This unity. Then we understand what it means to take this step of dying to self to be raised to newness of life.  When we let Him be the power it will turn out right in the end.

 

SCOTT RAUSCHER:  It is a real privilege to be here.  I’m glad Lorraine mentioned the ranch and their home.  I want to speak a little about homes.  I learned about their home long before I ever got to be there.  I heard about lots of young people that worked on that ranch and I envied them but I was stuck in California.  I remember the first day I got to go to the ranch.  Their home was really special.  Homes are very special to God.  He planned homes and families.  This isn’t man’s plan.  A family and a home are part of God’s plan.  Jesus came into a home.  He had a father and a mother to look after that life.  It is still that way.  Godly homes – homes with a father and mother teaching their children about God.  A family that knows there is a loving God can help with all the choices of life.  It’s a godly arrangement.  It’s nice to think of wonderful homes in the Bible – like Abraham and Sarah, united as husband and wife together.  Prov.14:26, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”  These are homes with the wonderful blessing of a father and mother teaching in both word and deed, loving God with all their heart, soul and mind.

​Lorraine already mentioned my great-grandmother.  When I was at George and Sue’s home recently George said, “I have this marker from her funeral – I think you need to have it.”  It was from Prov.31:30-31, “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”  From this same chapter it speaks of the virtuous woman whose “children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praisethher.”  I don’t have to say much more than that.  She taught us how to love God – His way – looked well to the ways of her home and family.

​It has already been mentioned about the day the gospel came their way – a highlight day.  I’m sure the day she met Pres was a highlight day.  Then she took this step to become his wife – a red letter day.  Many great days followed.  Then when the gospel came and she made a step to become the bride of Christ – the highlight day.  Through many other experiences I believe when Jesus became the bridegroom of the soul was the most important highlight day.  In the home life we have this picture.  It’s why God established His way in the home, to become part of the bride, to know that close relationship.  Paul couldn’t have written anything better than in Ephesians when he talked about the relationship of the husband and wife, loving her with all his soul.  I think of Nelda today being even closer to the Bridegroom of her soul, the One who cared for her all her days.

​Another thing about the home life – we have a little term – the open home.  It means a lot to God’s people.  When Duane and Kenny came with the gospel God did a work in their heart, and just as it happened in Acts with Lydia, when God opened their heart then it opened their home.  A wonderful thing – we have open homes all across the world.  When God did a work in their heart and faith was begotten they began to worship Him.  This relationship made their home open.  When Jesus came He left His home in Heaven.  He was raised in an earthly home and left it too.  In the years of His ministry He didn’t have a home of His own.  Twelve and then 70 followed Him in this homeless ministry, but they found people that ministered to their needs and opened their homes.  This is wonderful to think about.  This is why homes are so special to God – when they are opened to Him.

​Last but not least, I’ll mention the Passover from the Old Testament.  In the New Testament Jesus was the Passover Lamb.  This was a memorial feast day for His people to remember that a lamb was sacrificed to deliver them out of Egypt.  When Jesus was offered as the Lamb he said to remember Him in breaking of bread.  Those that became worshippers of Him – as people receive Him hearts and homes are opened; we begin to have fellowship and share in this communion by breaking bread together.  I’m grateful for when Pres and Nelda’s home was opened.  Clear across the world this memorial has been established – open homes where Jesus established this to be done in remembrance of Him. 

​Now Nelda has gone home to an open Heaven because of choices all through her life and the privileges they had.  I am thankful to God for their home life – that she was a homemaker and a mother and loved in such a way that her children rise up and call her blessed.

 

Hymn sung:  Oh, for a Closer Walk with God

 

BROCK SNIDER closed with prayer.

 

After lunch LESLIE POUNTNEY spoke at the graveside and HEIDI BRYANT prayed.  The hymn “Sweet is the Rest” was sung.

 

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I’m sorry I didn’t take notes on what Leslie shared, but I hope this will help the family to always remember this beautiful memorial to Nelda’s very special life.  With much love for all she meant to me . . . Eileen.