DON F. MANWILL FUNERAL

January 14, 1994                             Boise 7th Ward



I am deeply honored and humbled today to have this opportunity of speaking about a dear
friend whom I love, and express my gratitude to the family for this privilege.



One of life's greatest tests comes with the loss of a loved one.  It is not that we lack faith
in what lies beyond, but the challenge of going on living without someone we have loved
so dearly.  In Don's quiet, unassuming manner, he quietly and peacefully slipped into
immortality and left a huge void in each of our lives.  Sometimes we feel almost
apologetic for the inability we have to control our emotions when such a loved one
passes.  But the Lord said "Thou shalt live together in love insomuch that thou shalt weep
for the loss of them that die" (D&C 42:15).  We find in the scriptures how sensitive the
Savior was in these circumstances.  Mary and Martha had a brother named Lazarus.  As
Lazarus became very sick they sent for the Lord.  Jesus realized that Lazarus would die
which he did.  It was four days before Jesus came to Bethany.  Mary rushed out to him,
fell down at his feet and said "...Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died"
(John 11:32).  As Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews also, we learn of His great love
and compassion as the scripture records "Jesus wept.  Then said the Jews, behold how He
loved him" (John 11:35-36).



We have all had our lives touched by the life of Don Manwill.  I have known him well
for the past 22 years.  His life and example reflected all of the virtues of living a good,
basic life.  He was such a quiet, unassuming, yet humble and dedicated man.  How well
he exemplified the principles of consecration and stewardship.  The exceptional care he
took of his home, yard, and earthly possessions not only reflected his desire to do as a
prophet of God had commanded, but it was also an outward expression of some insights
into the soul of Don Manwill.



On occasions like this as we see loved ones pass quietly through the veil, we feel like we
are almost within whispering distance of those who reside among us in paradise.  As we
contemplate and celebrate Don's life, it is likewise a time of serious introspection of the
course and substance of our lives.  Elder Sill stated "Someone has said that judging by
the past there will be very few of us who get out of this world alive" (Conf.  Report Oct.,
1976, p. 64).  "It has been said that the most important event in life is death.  We live to
die and then we die to live.  Death is a kind of graduation day of life.  It is our only
means of entrance to our eternal lives" (Eider Sill, p. 65).



Don certainly graduated with honors from his mortal life and continues to
live on in the spirit world.  Brigham Young said "Spirits are just as familiar with spirits as
bodies are with bodies, though spirits are composed of matter so refined as not to be
tangible to this coarser organization" (Ensign Jan.  '77, p. 49).



I suspect that Don is somewhat embarrassed at us talking about his great strengths and
qualities here today.  He just wouldn't want anyone to make a big deal about it.  But how
appropriate it is for us to learn from his example and from the example of his good wife
Mary and family whom I love so much.



Don and Mary had experienced a great trial in their lives the past year.  I hadn't been
aware of what they were going through.  I felt impressed to visit them on Christmas Eve. 
I was deeply touched and strengthened by them.  They updated me on the lives of their
family whom they are so proud of.  They gave me a hug and I drove back home to
Meridian crying all the way as I expressed gratitude to the Lord for the privilege of
knowing such wonderful people; for the strength they have been in my life for so many
years.



Soon after we moved into this ward, we were starting to raise a young family.  I got to
know the Manwill family.  I was taking good notes, especially as I worked with the boys. 
Reed, Alan, Lane, and Rich were great examples.  I spent a lot of time especially with
Lane and Rich.  I couldn't believe what outstanding young men they were.  I carefully
observed the lives of Mary and Don.  I wanted to know what they had done to be so
successful as parents.  It didn't take long for me to learn their secret.  They followed the
first two great commandments of the Savior; they loved the Lord with all their hearts and
served their fellow man.  They didn't have any other priorities in life.  Their lives were
just this basic and simple.  Their family was everything.  My, how we could all emulate
their examples.

     Don spent countless hours in his callings in the church.  He served for years as Ward
Clerk when I was most closely associated with him.  We sat through countless hours of
meetings together.  He was always so much fun to be around.  I'll never forget his laugh. 
He told us lots of fun stories and experiences.  We would give him a bad time as he told
us some of his 'corny jokes.' We would laugh and laugh.  But we also spent a lot of time
together on our knees.  I heard him talk with his Father in Heaven.  I could tell that he
knew to whom he was talking and had a deep love and relationship with Him.  I love
him.  He was like another father to me.



Don was so faithful and dedicated.  During the five years I served as his bishop, he did
more than his share of the clerking work because I wasn't very prompt at getting him the
assistants he needed.  He would be at the church early.  I asked him what time he had
gotten up and he would say 3 or 4 a.m. We are told we will be judged by the records
which are kept.  Anyone who will be judged by Don's records can rest assured they are
accurate.  We once learned that we had more move-ins and move-outs than about any
ward in the church.  One year I recall we had over 40% come and go.  He kept track of
all of them.  As I was released as his bishop, I sent him this letter (read letter dated
March 15, 1980)



Don also blessed so many peoples lives in other ways.  He took so many pictures of
families and activities with his hobby of photography.  Hanging on my wall at home is a
family picture we will always cherish.  He did so much of this at his own expense, again
spending so many hours.  I have many pictures of bishoprics and activities that he and his
sons provided will be able to cherish these throughout my lifetime.



His great talent to work on cars was always impressive.  He was a meticulous mechanic. 
He fixed many cars at his own time and expense. 0n one occasion my brother came up
from Bountiful, Utah.  His car was not running well.  Naturally, I knew I could count on
Don to help out with advice We took a ride out on the freeway and he soon diagnosed the
problem.  Another mechanic had given my brother some expensive recommendation fix
his car.  Don said to go buy a can of Marvel's Mystery Oil which I had never heard of. 
Sure enough it fixed the problem.



It is hard to imagine living without the association of this stalwart man.  These challenges
are difficult.  President Kimball stated "I am positive in my mind that the Lord has
planned our destiny.  Sometime we'll understand fully, and when we see back from the
vantage point of the future, we shall be satisfied with many of the happenings of this life
that are so difficult for us to comprehend" (Tragedy or Destiny).



Don has been able to endure well to the end of mortality.  Well might it be said of him
the words of the Apostle Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness..." 2 Tim.
4:7-8 .



The Lord said "And it shall come to pass that those who die in me shall not taste of death
for it shall be sweet unto them" (D&C 42:46).  Joseph Smith stated "When men are
prepared the are better to go hence."



Alma described this glorious place as "...a state of happiness, which is calle paradise, a
state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all
care and sorrow" (Alma 40:12).

The church hymn 0 My Father states these words, "Yet ofttimes a secret something
Whispered your a stranger here, and I felt that I had wandered From a more exalted
sphere" (Hymns p. 292).  It is truly at times like this that we start to get homesick to
return back to our eternal home.  I have had the distinct impression that this kind loving
man just wouldn't have felt right about having his dear Mary precede him.  He wanted to
prepare the way and make that transition easier for his eternal companion.

President Benson said, "We once knew well our Elder Brother and His and our Father in
Heaven.  We rejoiced at the prospects of earth life that could make it possible for us to
have a fullness of joy.  We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our
Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in
spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one.  Now we are here.  Our memories are
veiled.  We are showing God and ourselves what we can do.  Nothing is going to startle
us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we
know our Father and how familiar His face is to us.  God loves us.  He is watching us. 
He wants us to succeed.  We will know some day that He has not left one thing undone
for the eternal welfare of each of us.  If we only knew it, heavenly hosts are pulling for
us--friends in heaven that we cannot now remember who yearn for our victory" (Ensign,
Dec. 1988 p. 6).



Perhaps the greatest tribute I could pay to this dear friend of mine is to quote another
bishop Don once had.  He stated that Don Was a man without guile.  I have been reflecting
on this a lot the past couple of days.  In Psalms we are told "B1essed is the Man ... in
whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalms 32:2).  "Jesus saw Nathaniel comming and saith of
him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" (John 1:47) In modern
scriptures he referred to Edward Partridge and George Miller as having this same great
quality.  I feel we could substitute Don's name in this scripture: "And again, verily I say
unto you, my servant Don Manwill is without Guile; he May be trusted because of the
integrity of his heart; and for the love which he has to My testimony I, the Lord, love him"
(D&C 124:28).



Don continues to live on in Paradise and awaits the g1orious morning of the first
resurrection when we are told "And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth,
for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst
of the pillar of heaven" (D&C 88:87).



At this time "The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and
every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be
lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame" (Alma 48:28).



Now, May you Mary, sons, and grandchildren, and each of us continue to press on as we
strive to live the principles which Don so much loved and exemplified, particularly the
unwavering testimony he had of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  May you be strengthened in
the days ahead by the words of the Hymn How Firm a Foundation as I close:

        Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed.
         For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
         I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,-
        Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

       When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
       The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow,
       For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
      And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

     When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
     My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
     The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
     Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

     The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
     I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
     That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
     I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

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