Fw: Letter from Grampa 20241201
jewelsdunnihoo@yahoo.com
What a beautiful last letter from Dad to Drew. Made me cry a lot and I thought I should share it with you two. Love you both!
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Rick Fernandez <fernandez.rick55@gmail.com>
To: Drew Dunnihoo <drew.dunnihoo@missionary.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 11:41:09 AM PST
Subject: Letter from Grampa 20241201
Dear
Elder Dunnihoo: Well, it has come down to this. I have written close
to 100 letters in the last two years, and this is the last one. I will
miss this weekly ritual, at least until Roman starts his mission. And
how wonderful it has been to read all of your emails and hear of all
your wonderful mission experiences and lessons. By all that I have
seen, your mission has been a great success. You have served the Lord
diligently and with great enthusiasm and faith, and you have influenced
many people for good. But your service has just begun, because now your
whole adult life is ahead of you, and the Lord will have further need
of your strength, service and devotion.
Your mission
has also been of great service to your family. Your example to your
younger brothers will influence their lives forever, and not only
your brothers, but many younger cousins as well. I hope that each one
will follow in your footsteps. Your mother is so proud of you, and your
honorable mission has done much to buoy her up through her life's
challenges and disappointments. As you return home to a noisy house and
face anew the intrusions and frustrations of normal family life,
remember kindness, patience and forbearance as Christ has shown us.
This has been a challenge for me too in times past, and a matter of some
repentance, but I am getting better all the time. You must do the
same.
Remember to show compassion and love to
your father, who struggles with many things as a consequence of a
difficult upbringing and the harboring of wrong ideas about life's
source, meaning and purpose. You can be an example of Christ's love and
forgiveness and be a great influence upon him as you keep in touch with
him often.
I needn't provide much counsel to
you about working hard. You have been a hard worker for several years
now! Let me just say: Keep work in perspective. Work is two things.
First, it is service to others in ways that they want and need, and
second, it is a means to support yourself and your future wife and
children. It is not wealth accumulation meant to inspire envy in
others. It is not a contest to show one's dominance over others. It is
not a means to obtain the glory and praise of men. It is the secular,
yet sacred, pursuit of the happiness and welfare of your family and
others.
Well, it's time to go to church. We all love you, Drew. See you this Friday.
Love,
Grampa
Sun, Dec 1, 2:06 PM (3 days ago) | |||
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