Weekly letter to missionary

Happy Halloween season! I hope you have had a great week! I've felt a little better and not sure why. Whatever the reason, I am glad for it. I have found, though, that even during the times we do not feel good there is always something to be done through Christ who strengthens us. Sometimes it's a simple text, a smile. Sometimes it's talking to someone at the gas station. I enjoyed Bro. Dunafin's testimony this month where he mentioned this quote from C.S. Lewis, "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. " Maybe it really is true that by small and simple things great things are brought to pass and that everyone we meet really is a cool person (just sometimes in disguise)! My reading has been in Moroni this week. It was weird that just this morning I read Moroni 8 and then talked to our missionary Jess who had had an experience with Moroni 8. Jess is in an English-speaking area but sometimes has the opportunity to teach with Spanish-speaking missionaries. They met with an investigator this week who was catholic and the topic of infant baptism came up. Jess and the missionaries were able to refer to Moroni 8 and the beautiful promises found there. The investigator was from Honduras, and Jess might not see him again, but she said the spirit was strong in the room, and even though she has struggled with the language, during their discussion she was able to understand what the investigator was saying and was able to recite the First Vision in Spanish. I have read this chapter many times, but today I realized this was a topic that really meant a lot to God cuz he fills almost the whole chapter talking about it! This made me think, "He sounds just like a dad who is sticking up for his kids. Especially his innocent ones!" And then the next thought, "Yes, it is because he really is our dad!" I work a lot with families in LD at the hospital. Occasionally families experience the loss of a baby and even after 30 years it is something that pulls at my heartstrings. On occasion, usually with other grieving nurses, I have had many opportunities to testify the good news of the gospel that these children are not lost, but are actually safe and saved in the arms of their father in heaven who loves them dearly. In just four days my nephew Braxton celebrates his 33rd birthday, though he is on the other side of the veil. A few years ago through a miraculous set of circumstances, I found my dad's account of Braxton's short, but meaningful life. My dad is a convert to the church, but with a very strong testimony of the resurrection and forever families. I am sharing with you the excerpts from his journal cuz I feel like here is yet another "tender" dad, not unlike the dad in Moroni 8, who shares his testimony about families being forever . Good Friday, April 13th, 1990 My grandson died today after a long battle with everything that was wrong. He had a cleft palate and could not swallow so had to be fed through a tube in his intestine. They determined he has cerebral palsy and while exercising his legs, broke one of them. He was only 2 pounds And? ounces when he was born at 25 weeks. His name is Braxton Todd Hale. Angela's water broke so they rushed her to the university hospital by helicopter where she stayed for a week before he was born. I was asked to give him a blessing when I went to see him, but as I stood over him and watched his movements, so erratic while other babies slept, I could not give him a blessing. When Angela asked what I thought I said, "he's OK", and yet everything was wrong physically. There seemed to be an immediate spiritual bond that he and I seemed to know and feel. He is a spiritual giant come to the world for a specific purpose and when that purpose was accomplished he would be on his way to do other things needed of him. When he was in the hospital in Twin Falls they called and said he would not make it and by the time we arrived he was better. I said he would not go gasping and struggling but just slip away. When he left he had just been examined by a doctor and seemed OK but just quit breathing. They tried normal resuscitation but he never took another breath and just slipped away. When he had been in the hospital in Utah, they said he would not last long so to prepare for his death. SO I went to the lumber yard and bought some pine boards for his casket and I began to build. Before I started I went to the funeral home and looked at caskets and their sizes and construction. I built the casket down at Mackenzie's( auto-part store business). Frank(my dad)helped me cut some boards and when people saw the box I said I was building a toy box for my grandson. Pine warps easy so I had to use screws and fit each board carefully. I stained it inside and out cherry wood and used a satin finish on it. It had a glow to the wood. Brass hinges and hardware with corners. I then set it in the back to dry. They phoned and said he had passed away so I called the funeral home and said I had built a casket. Todd and Angela came by to see what I had while I was putting the brass latch on the front. They asked if I was going to upholster the inside. I said no that's why I stained the inside. However, a king-sized pillow fit just right and it looked like a home-made crib. The funeral home said they normally did not have pine boxes because they warped and did not seal well. I had hand-fitted the top, though, so it would seal well. They said uphill on the sand in Rupert cemetery it would last for years. Todd could pick it up by himself and carry it to the gravesite. The graveside funeral was beautiful. The weather was sunny and springy with the hope of planting and a good harvest. So we planted with the knowledge of a wonderful seed that would grow into manhood in the millennium. #grief