Senior Tribute Patty 2024
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| Patricia Nadine and Mama |
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| Patty holding Grandpa Keeley's (80 yrs) hand |
Bursting Into Life
I had a couple of experiences with her when I was pregnant and when she was new:
When I was pregnant with Patty, I was reading a book about missionaries doing great miracles in lands far away and I felt a little bit, melancholy, maybe that I had never had a chance to do anything like that and probably never would. I had chosen a relatively quiet life, with a small circle of influence.
Anyway, I felt a distinct impression that maybe this baby, along with the children that I was raising, would be the ones who would have a far-reaching impact on the world.
I know more now, and it's the small things that we do that bring about important changes, and that the things that the world calls important are not necessarily the most important things.
When Patty was very tiny, I looked into her little face and somehow knew that her spirit was a lot older than mine.
Patty stayed little for a long time! I remember a friend who gave birth on the same day Patty was 4 months old and had a pediatric appointment. Both the newborn AND Patty weighed 9 lbs and 2 oz!
Her body may have been small, but she came packed with a punch! We soon found that little miss Patty-Pat was a sassy-pants and could hold her own against any of the older kids.
When she was about one, she ended up with a nasty stomach bug and was so sick that she was hospitalized for a few days over Mother's Day weekend. The only place they could find a vein was in her head, so she had a big bandage on her head and she looked like a little civil war soldier with a head injury.
At that point in her life, she was so busy and had no time for snuggles, so this slowed her down and she just wanted to snuggle the entire time. It was pure bliss for me. She was super-cute in spite of being so sick, and the nurses kept bringing her bubbles, stuffed animals and blankets. And all I had to do for about 3 days was rock you.
About 6 months later you landed in the hospital again after you climbed onto the stove, reached into the medicine cupboard and got into some children's cold medicine. There were more than 7 other people home, and it took you less than 2 minutes to do it. We just watched you in the ER all night and you were FINE. Stinker.
She was an excellent climber, jumper, kicker, rider, and if she had wings I believe she would have been gone without a trace.
She was ADORABLE and could get her Daddy to do just about anything she needed him to do.
When she was about 3 1/2 I was pregnant with Anna and on bed-rest. She helped the dire situation along by drawing a crayon picture, bringing it to me and saying cheerfully, "I drew this picture for Jesus. You can give it to him when you die." WHAT!?!
Patty worked really hard to learn to read and probably has dyslexia. She was even willing to do a summer program and by the end of the school year she was getting into trouble for reading half the night.
She's always been really gifted physically and has excelled at basketball, soccer, climbing, jumping, etc. She and her friends would do par cur throughout house. Climbing the light pole in front of the house made our neighbor nervous.
Patty was in a musical review and surprised us with a solo end of 6th grade year.
She was a spindly little sass.
She worked really hard to make the Varsity soccer team, practicing all summer with two different High Schools and a city rec team. When she sets a goal, she accomplishes it.
Going from show-off and seeking glory on field and court to working to assist and being aware of all the players.
Patty had a really great friend group that changed a little but remained great throughout middle school and high school.
She became a mentor and a student coach and learned to really focus on the most important things: eating disorders, leading, scholarship, friendship.
Random Picture Dump:
We're really proud of Patty and the things that she's accomplished. She's become such a lovely woman. Her senior year she took a Winterim that focused on Family Sciences and decided that was what she wanted to major in.
Here's a copy of a talk that she gave at Stake Conference, that she modified and then used as her Senior Last Letter.
I love you, Patty.
Love,
Mom
Patty Keeley
Wheelhouse
1st Ward
5 May 2024
Let God Prevail
I can throw a stick pretty far. 106 feet to be exact. My ability to throw a javelin in reality isn’t really that deep, but today I’m going to try to make it deep by talking about prevailing, specifically letting God prevail.
For four years I have been throwing javelin for my track and field team. Over the four years, it has turned into my favorite sport. My first throw ever went about 20 ft, hit the back of my head, and probably brought laughter to those around me. But over the four years, I figured some things out and am currently 2nd place all time at my school. Something about watching a javelin fly beautifully in the sky, getting to stand on the podium, and being good at it influences my mood and ego more than is probably healthy. With any sport, how much technique you have, your mental toughness, and your physical ability is what will set you apart from other athletes. Javelin is very technical, no matter how strong you are, if you’re not able to efficiently transfer your energy into a throw that is at the right angle, the javelin is not going to fly very far.
If you were interested in doing javelin, I might ask you, are willing to put in the time? Willing to learn technique? Willing to gain muscle? Willing to be frustrated? Willing to be overjoyed? President Nelson asks similar questions in his 2020 talk, Let God Prevail, but instead of javelin, he talks about life. He asks, “Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His? Consider how such willingness could bless you”.
I think letting God prevail in my life is a lot like javelin. While for javelin technique is the most important thing for the jav to go far, in my life, willingness to let God prevail is what is going to allow me to go far.
With doing any sport, pain is part of the experience. Pain that comes from agonizing hill runs where I question why I choose to do track as my lungs feel like they are going to burst like a balloon and my quads scream to be relieved of the pain, but those pains soon turn into muscle that allow me to have speed and momentum when I throw. The growing pains happen in my life too. In moments like when the pain of grief from losing my Aunt and Grandma in a car accident was life altering, letting God prevail in my life was how I found peace and joy. I found peace from the choice of forgiveness towards the guy in the other car, setting me free of anger, and allowing room for empathy to beautifully grow in my heart. The pains in my life bring the opportunity for me to grow closer to God, and understand his mercy and grace, and his love for me and for his children.
To be good at javelin, you have to have commitment and sacrifice. Commitment for me looked like going to practice when I could, and sticking with javelin for all 4 years of highschool. Just like how going to practice is part of the journey of throwing a javelin, daily effort in letting God prevail in my life is needed. I have found great joy in going to practice, but also in my effort to have God be part of my life. Daily scripture study, repentance, and prayer have been valuable tools in my life for when I deal with trials. Weekly temple trips, taking the sacrament, and going to young womens has not been a waste of time, but a place of joy. All this has made me more prepared to progress and grow. Making him a priority has only blessed me, and opened up opportunities, just like how making javelin a priority has only helped me to become closer to breaking the school record.
President Nelson put it in better words in his 2020 October Session talk, Let God Prevail. He says, “it takes both faith and courage to let God prevail. It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work to repent and to put off the natural man through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It takes consistent, daily effort to develop personal habits to study the gospel, to learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and to seek and respond to personal revelation…the only way to survive spiritually is to be determined to let God prevail in our lives, to learn to hear His voice, and to use our energy to help gather Israel…My dear brothers and sisters, as you choose to let God prevail in your lives, you will experience for yourselves that our God is “a God of miracles.” I would like to add on, Brothers and Sisters, as you choose to let God prevail in your lives, you will experience joy, strength, growth, and beauty.
I throw javelin because I’m good at it, but it also builds my confidence and brings me a lot of joy. I let God prevail in my life because to me he is beauty, love, grace, forgiveness and peace. Prevail means to prove more powerful than opposing forces; to be victorious. So while I might prevail in javelin, letting God prevail in my life brings me way more joy than a stick could ever. I invite you to all, in the words of Elder Gong, to “Trust him. Let him direct your paths. As you do this, you let God prevail in your life”. I promise it is never too late, and I promise your lives will be blessed as you allow God to prevail in them. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Israel=let god prevail
Prevail=prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious.
“The word willing is crucial to this interpretation of Israel. We all have our agency. We can choose to be of Israel, or not. We can choose to let God prevail in our lives, or not. We can choose to let God be the most powerful influence in our lives, or not.” -Russel M Neilson, 2020 october sesion
“The Lord is gathering those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives. The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives.”
“When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. We are also referring to building faith and testimony in the hearts of those with whom we live, work, and serve. Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.”- could talk about temple work, hooray!
“By choosing to let God prevail, she is finding peace.”
They too are longing for the wholeness and joy that come to those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives.- talk about joy
“Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His? Consider how such willingness could bless you”.
“your willingness to let God prevail in your life will allow your covenants with God to remain intact. The Savior will heal your broken heart. The heavens will open as you seek to know how to move forward. You do not need to wander or wonder.”
“as you choose to let God prevail, you will be led to find and understand the absolute, eternal truths that will guide your life and help you stay firmly on the covenant path.”
“imagine the courage you can muster as you choose to let God prevail in your life and as you plead with Him to strengthen you.”
“When your greatest desire is to let God prevail, to be part of Israel, so many decisions become easier. So many issues become nonissues! You know how best to groom yourself. You know what to watch and read, where to spend your time, and with whom to associate. You know what you want to accomplish. You know the kind of person you really want to become.”
“sisters, it takes both faith and courage to let God prevail. It takes persistent, rigorous spiritual work to repent and to put off the natural man through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.19 It takes consistent, daily effort to develop personal habits to study the gospel, to learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and to seek and respond to personal revelation.”
“the only way to survive spiritually is to be determined to let God prevail in our lives, to learn to hear His voice, and to use our energy to help gather Israel.”
“Now, how does the Lord feel about people who will let God prevail? Nephi summed it up well: “[The Lord] loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remember[s] the covenants which he [has] made.”21”
“The Lord has pledged that He will “fight [our] battles, and [our] children’s battles, and our children’s children’s [battles] … to the third and fourth generation”!”
“My dear brothers and sisters, as you choose to let God prevail in your lives, you will experience for yourselves that our God is “a God of miracles.”23 As a people, we are His covenant children, and we will be called by His name. Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Prevail
“Trust him. Let him direct your paths. As you do this, you let God prevail in your life.”-elder gong
“Belief is a choice. Faith includes your desire and your willingness to act. When you choose faith, you see and live in a different way—in God’s way.
Feel your happiness and joy grow and deepen as you choose to believe and live with faith on God’s covenant path.”
“ Please be patient with God and yourself. Spiritual experiences come line upon line, experience by experience.”
“As you exercise faith and effort, I promise your desire and choice to believe will bless you and those you love all your life.
By choosing to believe, you take an important step toward letting God prevail in your life.”
“Sometimes, you need courage to stand by your friends. Other times you may need courage to stand a little apart—not to judge them or feel superior but to choose the right by doing something different.” -no judgment
“let God prevail in your life includes changing and coming closer to God even when we make mistakes, which we all do.”
“Please, “be still, and know that [He is] God.” Let God prevail in your life.”
“Heavenly Father loves you and wants only what is best for you. Let Him be your Guide on your path through life. When you let God prevail in your life, you let Him multiply the blessings He desires to give you. This brings enduring joy to Him and you.”- gong
“Through His loving Atonement, He provides a way for us to be redeemed from sin and death.2 As we show our gratitude to Him by diligently living His commandments, He immediately blesses us, leaving us always in His debt.” Becky Craven 2020 october
““I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day.”
“Our daily choices will either help or hinder our progress. Small but steady, deliberate changes will help us improve.”
“In addition to the transforming power of our Savior’s Atonement, the Holy Ghost will support and guide us as we put forth our effort. He can even help us know what changes we need to make. We can also find help and encouragement through priesthood blessings, prayer, fasting, and attending the temple.”
“The Savior can help you heal and change while surrounded by those who love you.”
“I hope I have changed over the years. I hope I have changed since yesterday! I hope I am a little kinder, less judgmental, and more compassionate. I hope I am quicker to respond to the needs of others,
and I hope I am just a little bit more patient.”
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