My warrior husband, Ronald Brent Simmons, 48, valiantly completed his mission on earth and was no doubt welcomed with pure joy by his angel son Rylan, and a host of loved ones on November 30, 2016. He leaves behind a strong legacy of faith, service, hard work, true friendship, endurance, intelligence, love for missionary work, love for healing physically and spiritually and endless support and eternal love for his family.

Ronald came into this world on high gear ready to get things done on January 23, 1968 in Los Angeles, California to Ronald and Marlene Simmons. At age 5, he moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah where he spent the majority of his youth and developed may priceless, life long friendships. Ronald loved scouting and received his Eagle Scout award at age fourteen. As a gifted athlete he excelled in swim team, track and had a deep a passion for basketball and was awarded first team all-state his senior year. Ronald was also actively involved in choir and served as seminary president at Pleasant Grove High School Seminary.

Following graduation from Pleasant Grove High School, Ronald attended Brigham Young University for a semester before being called to serve for two years in the Germany, Frankfurt Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. After returning from his mission and back again at BYU, Ronald met Stephanie Du Bois at a fireside where in his words "a beam of light shown down from the heavens" and he knew he was determined to eventually marry this girl and one thing for sure- whatever Ronald puts his mind to he achieves and so it was, and to the greater blessing of Stephanie, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in May 1990. This alone serves as the most valuable decision either one of them has ever made throughout their lives.

Their sealing began 26 years of unbelievable adventures including graduation from BYU, moving to Miami, Florida for Medical School and Orlando, Florida for internship and residency while doing always putting family and multiple church responsibilities first. After adding five practically perfect children to their adventures and graduating from Medical School, we began Ronald's 18 year career as a gifted Family Practice Physician, practicing in California, Tennessee and Utah-gathering up so many memories and cherished friendships along the way. Ronald was adored by his patients, loved his work at various clinics culminating to obtaining his dream job with Duke Medical Clinic which bought him such great joy to be involved in it's conception and development.

Ronald taught his family love for the outdoors, camping, fishing, golfing, gardening, yard work, the heath field, good food, and trying new things, but most of all love for missionary work, family, and and the limitless powers accessible through the infinite atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ of which he drew from daily especially throughout the last years of his extraordinary life.

Ronald served whole heartedly in various callings in the church throughout his life from multiple bishopbrics , young men's president, high council, high priest group leader, elders quorum president and Sunday School president to Sunday school teacher, Scout Leader and committed home teacher and left this world as the current ward mission leader which he no doubt will continue that calling throughout eternity!
As Ronald has reunited now with his oldest son, Rylan, they will join forces to serve together and prepare for his wife, Stephanie and four other children, Shayli Cottman (Drake), Selleka, Syvanna and Ryker Simmons as well as his sweet grandson Cole Christopher Cottman.
Ronald also goes ahead of his parent's Ronald and Marlene Simmons, and his extraordinary brothers and sisters, Todd Simmons (Stacy), Rhonda Call (Jason), Sumer Vellinga (Richard) and Brandon Simmons (Michelle) , father and mother in-law Steven and Ilsa Du Bois and multiple brother and sister in laws, nieces, nephews and cousins and countless of friends all of whom brought him unbelievable joy and limitless support. 
Also Receiving Ronald are his grandparents, Fern and George Jacobsmeyer, and grandfather Kenneth Simmons, his sisters in-law Michelle and Sara Du Bois and great friend Bert Smith as well as countless ones.

As our hearts are so broken at this time being separated physically from our extraordinary, super hero- husband, father and friend we choose to find strength in our knowledge that In the pre- mortal realm we knew and worshipped God as our Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which we could obtain a physical body, and gain earthly experience to progress to perfection and ultimately realize our divine potential as heirs of eternal life. Our family is certain that the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. On this truth, we place our hearts and eternal happiness. 
We would like to express our gratitude for the physicians and staff at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital for not only their pristine care but also patience and friendship throughout our mission their, specifically Dr. Shami and Dr. Zander who worked tirelessly with the Lord to extend Ronald's life and dreams to the fullest measure and extent. We also would like to give special thanks to Bob Birnbaum and Dwight Preston at Perry Family Medicine/Duke Medical Clinic for showing Ronald such wonderful friendship, respect and love and putting unbelievable faith in him regardless of his health concerns. You gave him the gift of allowing him to live out one of his dreams until his last breath. And we know Ronald would want us to publically thank his great friend and brother at heart, Shay Holley for truly walking with him through every step of his last 3 years, deeply concerned for his care, comfort and support to the last moment of his life.

Services to celebrate Ronald's full and extraordinary life will be held this Saturday, December 3, at 1:00pm at the Marriott-Slaterville chapel- 250 North 1500 West Marriott-Slaterville, Utah. Viewing and time with the family will be available that same day from 11:30am-12:45pm. Special thanks to Meyer Mortuary in Brigham City for their unmatched care and attention. 

BEING GRATEFUL IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES...REALLY?!

RONALD UPDATE:
I wasn't wanting nor expecting to have to post this at this time but we have recently been given all test results and have been told that the leukemia in Ronald's body has ,almost literally, flooded into a great deal of Ronald's body and after trying to treat him with everything legally possible the doctors have just recommended hospice and comfort care- Ronald's health as well as body has depleated so exponentially this past week and although we know that all hope is never lost and extraordinary miracles are absolutely available through our Savior, we have become more to feel that miracles will come but, this time may look different than we have desired! According to Ronald's chief doctor's, they believe (medically thinking) that he may be down to a few days to a week before he has finished his time on this earth with us.  I hesitated to send this information due to the holidays but  I just didn't want any regrets letting my feelings get in the way of releasing information you all deserve to know as so many have been so sweetly and genuinely invested in Ronald and our family's well being! We love you ,and Ronald and our family have been left with no doubts regarding your love for him and our family!! 

We will update this blog as feel needed! We are so very grateful for the love and 
support so freely dispersed to our family and many time , literally lifted up by it...
At this time we would ask that if you are desiring to see him or come by that you please call first, if possible, to assure the best experience for everyone. With that said and
almost sounding insincere, HAPPY THANKSGIVING... for Thanksgiving has everything
to do with providing the necessary power we will all need to continue to carry through with this extraordinarily challenging mortal experience! 
(our Daily Devotional will explain a bit what I have been led to guide us at this time and today we certainly celebrate that and so many many other blessings)

HOLIDAY DEVOTIONAL:
In the early morning hours of this Thanksgiving Day I decided to review President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk entitled "Grateful in Any Circumstances", and I am so glad I did as it has set the tone not only for this day but hopefully for certainly some of thee most difficult circumstances that are upon our family at this time and as this new season of life is breaking upon us. I will attach the link to this talk at the bottom of the page but wanted to post some of the most powerful truths that led to some resolutions and fortifying for me personally this morning:

President Uchtdorf counseled me...."Everyone’s situation is different, and the details of each life are unique. Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious.....We can be grateful!...It might sound contrary to the wisdom of the world to suggest that one who is burdened with sorrow should give thanks to God. But those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace, and understanding."

President Uchdorf PROMISED me...This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer. When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise. In pain, we can glory in Christ’s Atonement. In the cold of bitter sorrow, we can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven’s embrace.

President Uchtdorf agreed with me...Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we look beyond our present-day challenges.

President Uchtdorf taught me...Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God. It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true. By being grateful, we follow the example of our beloved Savior, who said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will.

As this apostle of the Lord has counseled, promised and taught me today I recommitted to do all that lies within my power at this time, combined with drawing upon every whit of the power the Savior freely offers me to focus upon the many and sacred truths I do know:                                                                                        That our Father has given His children the great plan of happiness! Tthat through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ, we can live forever with our loved ones! That in the end, we will have glorious, perfect, and immortal bodies, unburdened by sickness or disability!  That our tears of sadness and loss will be replaced with an abundance of happiness and joy!!!!  For this I am more genuinely grateful for than ever.. for I am relying on and placing my current and eternal heart and welfare wholly upon those truths..... 

...So because of His glorious gifts filled with such priceless brightness of hope for us at this time for me, I have so much to be grateful for, so much to thank my Heavenly Father and Savior for,  and even celebrate today!  So again... Happy Day of Thanksgiving and Enjoy every moment with you family... for time with them is truly a precious gift!

... And deeply grateful for all our angel family and friends, on both sides of the veil, for all your necessary love and support!

***The talk I took my thoughts from for this post is posted on the following post!

April 2014 LDS General Conference- President Dieter F Uchtdorf

RONALD UPDATE!
Soooooo came to Huntsman for an appintmeny Friday and ended up being admitted-due to some increased pain and inflammation. Not sure what's really is up, so doing a bunch of tests. One possibility is  GVHD (Graph Versus Host Disease) in gut which could get pretty painful but if kept under control could actually be a good thing in fighting the cancer longer term. Meanwhile, we are waiting on some tests and results to gather more conclusive information so he can be treated appropriately and get on a better track again~Thank you for your continued faith , prayers and fasting as you feel inspired to do so!! Our family is focusing much of our prayers toward our deep desire that all those involved in Ronald's care will be inspired to know the proper course of treatment that will fulfill the fullest measure of  healing, growth, comfort and peace that that the Lord can allow! Meanwhie HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK... alway sooooo much to be thankful for and one of those is YOU! We love you and are thankful for your consistent care, love and support!!

 RONALD UPDATE:
Ronald was released from the hospital over a week ago when his
labs showed that his ANC and WBC had reached a safe level and
his kidneys were very stablized!! It had been great having him home all
together again- He still goes to Huntsman about two times a week for
platlet transfusions but they are stablizing and increasing quickly as well.
Ronald is very tired still and is having a difficult time digesting food without a pretty rough stomach ache so were praying that resolves soon so he can stop losing weight and start putting it back on as well as get the necessary nutrients he needs. 






He walked to his new office(same company but renamed and rebranded as Duke Medical Clinic) soon to open here in Marriot-Slaterville about a mile from our home, the first week of December!!

Meanwhile we are all trying to carry on family business as usual which has included the "twins" participating in some crazy school assemblies and being youth hosts for a great conference with some of their very favorites Hank Smith, John Bytheway, and Meg Johnson as well as completing Syvanna's COLLEGE applications and visiting multiple colleges to get some good feelings on her
possibiies for her educational future!! AHHHHH crazy how time has to keep moving forward... cherishing every moment with each family member has truly become more precious then just about anything!!

Ronald will have a PET scan in about 3 weeks that will give us a pretty good idea of how much the chemo and stem cell transfusion effected the cancer in his body! In the meantime we truly would appreciate all the faith, prayer and fasting that you feel to draw any tender mercies, sustaining power, instruction, direction and miracles that the Lord has reserved  and can allow for our family and Ronald during this time.

So thankful for every drop of love, mercy, and peace that continue to distill on us through the power of the Atonement of our Savior through faithfilled prayers! Sure love you!


A LITTLE SIDE NOTE:    It's pretty wonderful how much happiness, and how many smiles this darling grandson of ours brings into our days, even when things are tough!! ....Just another testament that through small and simple things( or people) Great things are brought to pass!!!
THANK YOU COLE for the joy you bing into our family!! So thankful for you!!

 

We're ALL in need of some type of "CANCER" treatment- and we are continuing ours!

This week has been more testing , waiting, few surprisew and treatments... mostly focused on Ronald Kidneys as they became inflammed with signs of obstruction thus causing pain and most likely the consistant fevering Ronald was having so..... treated that and his renal function has continued to improve and no fevers in several days. On the cusp of that his medical team felt that Ronald may benefit in receiving another transplant of stem cells to try to increase the chances for this most recent chemotherapy to be more successful - thank goodness Rhonda's initial bone marrow donation was so incredibly large - we are so blessed to have enough in storage to do this!!!  Thank you Rhonda!!!! 

We truly appreciate your continued faith and prayer as we really want Ronald's body to work with all these treatments to fight against the cancer cells that are loving living in Ronald body wayyyy to much!! Ronald continues to be quite tired and is experiencing some abdominal pain but overall is handling everything well. Doctors are just wanting us to stay the course and address any concerns as/if they arise.

This week , our kids brought a few of our fall/halloween traditions to the Huntsman to enjoy... favorite treats, music, halloween cookie decorating and of course pumpkin carving... although Ronald was tired he was a real trooper and joined in the fun as much as he could. 

We continue to remain positive and hopeful in great things to come and continue to appreciate all the faith and prayers on family's behalf especially for constant divine direction and instruction not only for Ronald and our family but also for his medical team as they continue to charter the once again unchartered territory we like to call.... RONALD!  

We continue to pray for you all too as we know every family is experiencing "cancer"-(undesired cells that infiltrate , vigorously trying to take control of the whole) in many forms , whether, physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or a mixture of a few... and we know it is only in and through the power of Atonement of Jesus Christ that individuals and families can be administered the necessary treatment for necessary healing. We are all experiencing what I refer to as "SERIOUS  MORTALITY" thankfully not ever alone!!  We Love you!!

So... Our family motto this year has been "With God we are LIMITLESS" so the kids

carved a pumpkin with that in mind... even creating a logo of sorts for it.... Sure thankful for our 

resiliently faithful children!

                                                   Syvanna took this panoramic picture of our pumpkin and
                                                   it looks like a very coooool catapillar ;-)

DAILY DEVO:
 We consistently pray that our minds and spirits will be clear, so that we will be able to identify truth and error and that we can hear and understand clearly any instruction and direction from the Lord... ...as we have worked even harder at this particularly for the correct cancer treatment and direction for Ronald's health we have also become very aware that the more we desire that, the more the adversary desires to confuse us.... As I was becoming more and more aware of this ....this clear direction came directly into my path...

Hope it comes in handy as you seek for clear instruction and direction to treat effectively the cancer cells that enter into your individual and family life!! 

And....Fieldtrip over!!

RONALD UPDATE:

So we  had about 55 absolutely wonderful hours out of the hospital before Ronald spiked 
a fever and was once again admitted back into the Hunstman Hotel. Since Thursday he 
has been fevering off and on without any cultures or test giving reasons why, so doctors are wondering if it from the cancer breakdown (tumor lysis) response causing a fever, or also 
possible it may be a neutropenic fever response since all his numbers are down now. One 
way or another, were being told that it may be best that he remain in the hospital until his 
immune system returns, which apparently could be a minimum of 40 days with this particular treatment. Meanwhile, Ronald is very tired (expected), receiving transfusions (expected), 
and continues to want to work his online medical consulting job as much a possible (also very expected) as we wait to see how his body will now be responding to treatment, hopefully, uncomplicated by any type of infection. He is in good spirits, very optimistic and other 
than some serious cancer continuing to insist on residence within his body, he is looking 
and behaving pretty much like normal, well as much as normal can be within the hospital.
Our prayers are focused at this time on his immune system returning as absolutely as soon as possible as the longer his system is down the greater the chance of  infections and complications arising in is recovery.

Thank you for all of your concern, fasting, prayers ignited by your faith- we continue to feel the great power  and intense love of our Savior and his personal attention to the detail in all of our lives!

*Love this picture of Ronald recieving his IV antibiotics in the hospital while he is doctoring another.

He is so awesome and loves keeping things going on as normal as much as possible! Love that!!