Raven Jeffords passed away on May 2, 2009. Raven was a friend of mine and she was in my ward. She was diagoned with leukemia about 5 years ago. She has had bone marrow transplants and has been in and out of the hospital through out the course of the 5 years. She is probably the strongest person i know. She never asked why she got cancer or was never mad or asked why me she just shook it off and always kept living her life. Her favorite color was green so today in church all of the Young Women and a lot of families in our ward wore green for her. I remember going to the hospital and playing card games with her and even just sitting next to her and talking. She was such a sweetheart and LOVED her stuffed animals her favorite was a penguin. Her cat was always something she talked about. She taught me a few life lessons, how to live life to its fullest and no matter what the situation was just put on a smile and keep going. Raven, I love you so much and I wish I would have visited you more and told you more how much i looked up to you especailly with everything you went through you kept a smile on your face. One memory i have of me and Raven is at a mutual activity the girls were playing outdoor volleyball but Raven was too sick and weak to play so we went on a little walk. I was helping her push her walker and we hit a bump and we both fell. We just layed there laughing for a few moments and by the end we were crying from laughing so hard. She was full of happiness and i love that about her. She was in a medically enduced coma because she was in so much pain they pulled her out of it so that she could say goodbye to her family and put her back into it and then she passed away not in pain. Her passing away is bitter/sweet. Its not easy to explain but we will always miss her and her sweet spirit and smile but we know she is in a better place and we know she isnt suffering or in any pain anymore. She no longer is in so much pain all the time and she doesnt needs an IV pole, a walker aand wheelchair and she doesnt have to wear her mask anymore and one thing i know she is happy for is that she will finally get her gorgeous thick curly hair back. I have a strong testimony of eternal life and families and i know shes with our heavenly father and that she is happy and safe and pain free. Raven i will miss you! I love you so much thank you for being such a good example to me.
We were talking in Young Womens today and this song expresses most of our feelings about Raven:
Artist: Paisley Brad
Song: When I Get Where I'm Going
When I get where I'm going
on the far side of the sky.
The first thing that I'm gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly.
I'm gonna land beside a lion,
and run my fingers through his mane.
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain
(Chorus:)
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
there'll be only happy tears.
I will shed the sins and struggles,
I have carried all these years.
And I'll leave my heart wide open,
I will love and have no fear.
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
Don't cry for me down here.
I'm gonna walk with my grandaddy,
and he'll match me step for step,
and I'll tell him how I missed him,
every minute since he left.
Then I'll hug his neck.
(Chorus)
So much pain and so much darkness,
in this world we stumble through.
All these questions, I can't answer,
so much work to do.
But when I get where I'm going,
and I see my Maker's face.
I'll stand forever in the light,
of His amazing grace.
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
Yeah when I get where I'm going,
there'll be only happy tears.
Hallelujah!
I will love and have no fear.
When I get where I'm going.
Yeah when I get where I'm going.
