My Grandpa

This post is more for me than for you...
My Grandpa is one of the greatest most amazing men I know. He passed away this morning at 91 after struggling with lung cancer for the last year. He has taught me so much and has given me so many great memories. I spent summers with my grandparents from when I was 4 to 7 and I loved every minute of it. They lived in Alta, WY, right at the base of the Teton mountains, it was beautiful. I was pretty upset when they decided to move to Rigby to be closer to us--I loved the Teton Valley (and still do) so much! I remember going into the mountains to gather wood for his clock making business and making the best homemade root beer and we'd go fishing and he'd take us down to the creek bed to find animal prints and pour plaster in them to make treasures for us to take home.
He was a great grandpa. He was the most tender loving man.
He was a POW of WWII for three and a half years, it is a miracle that we had him for as long as we did. He has been in a lot of pain for the last little while, so it's really a blessing he passed. I am so sad, but I'm happy to know the plan of salvation and to know we have temple blessings to bind us together and that we'll be together again.
One of the last things he said to me last Friday was that he'd put in a good word for me ; ) . I did get a special moment with him that day-- he's been on pretty high doses of morphine and hasn't been very lucid very often. I went to kiss him goodbye and he woke up and was completely lucid and knew exactly who I was (last time I saw him he thought we were the home teachers). He kissed me and told me how much he loved me, I'm so greatful for that moment and I know Heavenly Father knew I needed that. I love you Grandpa

I love old pictures, here are some of the pictures I have of my Grandpa, the first is when he came home from being a POW. He said the lowest he weighed was 117 lbs, while there.

this article is something I found on the web, from a forum or something at Ricks College. He also has his story printed in a book "Courage in a Season of War". It is so amazing. We really take for granted the freedoms we've been blessed with and how much we really have.

Ralf T. Wilson B In November 1941 Ralf Wilson was sent to the Philippine Island of Mindanao, only days before Japan simultaneously attacked Pearl Harbor and Clark Field, on Luzon in the northern Philippines. A few weeks later his unit was ordered to surrender. He says:

I was paralyzed with fear. Our captors had not yet arrived but anxiety stuck in my throat. I needed help beyond myself. Remembering my parents= teachings I determined to go off by myself and pray.

In the jungle I came upon an old quarry. It was a beautiful spot. I knelt and opened my heart to the Lord, pleading for His help. After a time I heard a very clear and distinct voice say, A It= s okay Ralf, you= re going to be all right.@ Immediately, a sense of peace washed over me. The sun was shining through the trees, the birds were singing, I could hear the chatter of monkeys, and felt a sense of peace and quiet assurance. The memory of this experience stayed with me from that moment. Through the vicissitudes of the next three and a half years I never doubted that I would go home.