 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
News Item: From President and Sister Jensen - Jaredita's Passing
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 -- Add News
| From President and Sister Jensen - Jaredita's Passing | 23 Aug 2007 |
|
I received this tender story today from President and Sister Jensen. I've attached a picture taken by the Jensens a day or so before she passed away in the Pictures section. Jaredita Subandriyo 19 November 1987 – 18 August 2007 Many have inquired about the events that surrounded the death of Jaredita. Since Sister Jensen and I were with her the last three days of her earthly life we feel it may be helpful to outline these events for your interest and comfort. We have known Jaredita for the past 4 ½ years. Both, as a senior couple serving in the Indonesia Jakarta Mission and then as mission president. She was a vibrant young lady, always smiling and friendly with everyone. At youth conferences, while others were usually reluctant to stand and bear their testimonies, Jaredita was always quick to bear hers. Her testimony was always very spiritual and heartfelt. She was an example to everyone of what a faithful Latter-day Saint young woman should be. She knew how to have fun and be a part of the group, but never in an inappropriate or unkind way. On one occasion, while I was visiting with Elder Subandriyo in his office I noticed movement under his desk. I moved forward and noticed Jaredita curled up resting under her father’s feet. She seemed embarrassed to see me and I said, “Jaredita, what are you doing down there?” She responded, “I was tired and thought I would take a nap.” From that moment on I knew Jaredita was an unusual young lady that had a profound love and respect for her father. Jaredita had been attending BYU-Hawaii and recently transferred to attend BYU-Provo. She arrived in Salt Lake around August 6 and stayed with her aunt, Josephine Hetarihon, her mother’s sister. On August 14 she decided to come to Arizona with a friend of Josephines’ and visit friends in the Phoenix area. In route they stopped in Flagstaff and Jaredita visited with Sister Palmer, whom she knew while she and her husband, Tom served a mission in Indonesia. Sister Palmer later mentioned that Jaredita seemed somewhat melancholy and she did not seem to be the same vibrant young woman that she had previously known. Even before leaving Salt Lake, she was not feeling well, and Josephine tried to discourage her from making the trip. On Wednesday, August 15, Jaredita spent the day with her friend, Jordan Flake, who was a close friend from BYU-Hawaii and lived in Chandler. It was later that afternoon that Josephine called us to say that Jaredita was in Arizona. We immediately called Jaredita and invited her to come to our home and spend the night since she was scheduled to fly back to Salt Lake the next day at 1:00 pm. When we arrived in Chandler Jaredita was lying on the couch with a blanket over her. She complained that she had a fever and had the chills. We drove her to our home in East Mesa and Sister Jensen gave her some Motrin and Gatorade to drink and put cold cloths on her head to bring her fever down. Jaredita asked if I would give her a blessing. I promptly called our bishop, Bryan Bailey, who lives next door to us to assist me. We gave the priesthood blessing after which Sister Jensen continued with the cold packs until she went to sleep. The next morning (Thursday, Aug. 16) Jaredita said that during the night her fever had broke and she felt much better. She asked if she could delay her return and spend another day with us? Sister Jensen asked her what she would like to do? We could take her to the nearby lake; she could go mountain bike riding with our son, Burkley; go shopping or whatever she would like. Jaredita responded, “All I really want to do is go to the Arizona Temple and do baptisms for the dead.” Consequently, we called the temple and made an appointment for her to do baptisms. Upon arrival at the temple, she said, “President Jensen, do you think you could do the baptisms? The last time I did them in Hawaii, the brethren had a hard time pronouncing the name ‘Subandriyo’ correctly. However, upon inquiring at the temple I was told that someone was already assigned to perform the baptisms. Consequently, Sister Jensen and I did an endowment session while Jaredita performed the baptisms. When we finished we went to pick up Jaredita and found her visiting with several of the senior workers in the temple. As I saw her there my mind thought of the scene that happened 2000 years ago when the parents of the young Jesus found him “in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors … and all who heard him here astonished at his understanding” (Luke 2:46-47). Jaredita had quickly won the love and admiration of the temple staff and they commented to us what a wonderful young woman she was. We then took Jaredita to the temple cafeteria where we had a wonderful meal of salmon, steamed vegetables and rice. We also introduced her to several of the patrons that we knew and had the opportunity to also introduce her to a member of the temple presidency. As we walked out of the temple I took a picture of Sister Jensen and Jaredita standing in front of the temple. She was very happy that she could attend the temple. The afternoon was spent helping Jaredita try and get her cell phone repaired, but it was a futile effort since she would need a new phone. In the evening we took her to a Mexican restaurant with our son Burkley, but Jaredita did not eat much. Then on the return home we noticed the most beautiful full rainbow arching the area where we lived in East Mesa. The east sky was overcast with pending rain clouds and west horizon was ablaze with the beginnings of a spectacular desert sunset. We quickly returned home and the four of us piled in our electric golf cart and drove to the highest outlook on the desert mountain close to our home to witness the final sunset. When we returned home, Jaredita asked Sister Jensen if she could take her to visit the Target Store. She said she had always wanted to go to a Target Store. The two of them drove to the store and purchased a few items. Jaredita commented to Sister Jensen that it was just like her mom taking her shopping. It was a perfect ending of a beautiful day with Jaredita. Looking back now, it seems fitting that the Lord would send a rainbow at the conclusion of Jaredita’s life. The rainbow is not only the symbol of God’s promise to Noah, but is also a symbol of His love for all His children. As this rainbow arched across the sky in anticipation of a pending storm, it likewise was a beautiful symbol of the pending end of Jaredita’s life. The next morning (August 17) Jaredita felt weak and sore. Again, she was supposed to return to Salt Lake but did not feel up to the trip. She determined that she would return on Saturday at 1:00 pm. Unbeknown to us, this was the day her body started to shut down. All indications are that she died from Toxic Shock Syndrome. The hemorrhaging would have started on Friday to most of the organs in her body. Jaredita spent most of the day sleeping and resting. She had little energy to do much else. Early the next morning at 2:00 am we were awakened to hear Jaredita coughing and vomiting. Consequently, at 3:00 am I mentioned to Sister Jensen that I though I should drive her to the airport early so she should take the 6:00 am flight back to Salt Lake and then let Josephine take her to see a doctor. I felt certain that she need medical help. At 3:30 am, Sister Jensen asked Jaredita if she felt well enough to return to Salt Lake on the 6:00 am flight? She indicated that she did. Therefore at 4:00 am I drove her to the airport and reviewed with her the procedures that she would take to catch her 6:00 am standby flight. I asked if she needed any help and she replied that she would be ok. I wrote my name and phone numbers on a piece of paper and gave her some coins to call me as soon as she confirmed her flight, so I could notify Josephine. A short time after my return from the airport I received a phone call from the Phoenix Fire Department that someone had noticed Jaredita acting strangely at the airport and called the paramedics. They were in the process of taking her to the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Phoenix and ask me for background information on her. I immediately tried to contact her family. Fortunately, I was able to notify Josephine in Salt Lake, Sister Subandriyo in Jakarta, but was unable to contact Subandriyo (He was on a speaking assignment in Malaysia). Later in the morning Subandriyo called and I gave him the contact information at the medical center. During the next few hours we stayed in close contact with the medical center, but they were reluctant to give us any information about her condition since we were not family. Fortunately, Josephine was able to contact Dr. Dean Belnap in Utah and he called the hospital and received many of the medical findings. Upon learning that her condition was serious, Sister Jensen called the temple and had them put her name on the prayer rolls. We then drove to the hospital, but again the staff would not give us any update information since we were not family. Finally, after much complaining and waiting a doctor spoke with us and indicated that she was in very serious condition. He let us go into the ICU room to see Jaredita, where she was connected to the life support systems. She was obviously unconscious. The doctor asked us not to remain at the hospital and indicated that he would notify us if her condition changed. Two hours later Subandriyo called and I suggested that he immediately call the doctor. The doctor told Subandriyo that her condition had worsened and she only had a 1-2% chance of surviving. She passed away just a few minutes thereafter. As all of you, we were shocked to hear the news of her passing. She had been blessed by the priesthood. The scripture says, “and if they die they shall die unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me … those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them … and again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed” (D&C 42:44-48). It was obvious to us that Jaredita had been “appointed unto death,” but the sting of her passing was none-the-less difficult to accept. Jaredita died in peace. Her passing was indeed a sweet experience. The scripture says, “for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.” Jaredita left this life with the desire to serve others and to be about her father’s business. Sister Jensen and I were grateful for the blessing and opportunity to spend the last days of Jaredita’s life on earth in her presence. We were grateful to welcome Elder Subandriyo and the return of her brother, Elder Mahonri Lukas, from his mission in Atlanta. We were grateful for the caring support of her aunt, Josephine, and for the many friends, missionaries and leaders that offered support and comfort at this difficult time. Many other miraculous events transpired in connection with her passing and the subsequent arrangements for the preparation for her return to Indonesia. We testify that God was in this storm and nothing that we did or didn’t do would have altered the decree of her loving Father in Heaven. Hormat kami, Dean and Jean Jensen Mesa, Arizona |
|
| David Brewer | Send Email |
