Mary McDonald

Mary McDonald finally succombed to cancer this morning. I spoke to Kenya last night, her daughter, and she said she had been up all night with her, Mary writhing in pain. The pain medication she was taking was unable to prevent the suffering. Kenya said she was calling out for Jesus to help her. I wanted to be in Boston; to go give her a blessing to pass on. I felt the spirit that a blessing would so direct. I prayed for it last night. This morning she passed on. Thank God for it.

Mary was such a source of joy and teaching in our ward. Her testimony on fast sunday usually ended up in song. She loved to sing gospel spirituals in church and had a wonderful voice for it. Mary had such a strong spirit. I am amazed that a person of her culture would be so willing to embrace ours on something so profound to her as her faith.

It was that spirit that prompted me to invite her to receive her endowment in the temple. That was a great night. JoAnn Neal summed it up perfectly in the celestial room, 'I looked at Mary sitting in front of me and was prompted that this was a mighty woman.' I felt the same that she was the righteous representative of an enitre posterity - the one that would enter the spirit world with the authority to teach and preach her ancestry.

What a difference it will be when the costumes of mortality are exchanged for the white robes of eternity! When race, social standing, economic disparity, mental capacity, gospel understanding are all made as one. When the eternal makeup of the soul is exposed fully. We glimpsed it through the temple with Mary and with that take great confidence in a loving reception this morning in the presence of Almighty God.

I do feel responsible and hopeful that I did enough in her service when I think of that meeting this morning, but mostly I feel grateful to have known and loved Mary McDonald.