My Dear Brother,
It’s been too long since I’ve written you. At least, two weeks seems like a long time, but it can pass faster than Dalliwag’s gas. Just kidding. Not a day goes by when I don’t think of you—especially Mondays when I haven’t written you and I imagine how it must feel to open your inbox and be disappointed by the lack of email within. I have also missed your Monday replies. They make my life so much sunnier. I stink worse than Dalliwag’s gas for not writing you for two weeks. No joke. I do love you and am proud of you.
So much can happen in a couple of weeks. For example: the husband broke his foot during our family date night. He’ll be fine—already healing well, thank heavens. Valentines day also came and went…it was rather unremarkable, but also rather funny to spend Vday at McDonalds. We do what we can to keep the romance alive with kids on a budget. :) Also, Atrain is now 3 years old. We had a killer Monster Truck Jam birthday party. He had a blast. He also is beginning to agree to sit on the potty…and even though nothing really happens, I have faith that we’re headed in the right direction. I really don’t enjoy changing the diaper of a 3 year old. Finally, we paid a good chunk of change to get our car fixed again. On the upside, I got to drive around Dad’s monster truck for a while. Atrain loved it.
Our little family spent the weekend in your old room. Goodness it brought back a lot of memories—not to mention the fact that mom just transferred all of the home videos over to DVD. Needless to say, I was relieved when the infamous “Hairspray” video wouldn’t play. If you do know which one I’m referring to, may it forever rest in peace in your memory. Do you remember the “rollercoaster” Allerina and Dalliwag got for Christmas one year? You were so cute showing them how to play with it. That was before your voice changed. Oh the good ‘ole days.
Something funny from the weekend…well Atrain decided that it would be fun to dump out all of the games out of the game closet. I’m sure it was fun. Clean up wasn’t—especially with Spud around. Spud thought it was fun to run through the mess and eat various pieces of the game. “Stop it stupid dog!” I said as I chased him around. I didn’t realize Atrain was watching me so closely, but he immediately picked up on the phrase. He chased spud around the house saying, “Stop stupid dog!” Oops. Not my best mothering moment. Dad thought it was funny. I’m glad mom didn’t hear Atrain’s new phrase.
I really enjoy reading your emails, even if they aren’t addressed to me. They make me think. It must be interesting to be on a mission. Obviously, I can’t exactly understand what you’re experiencing, but I like to imagine. It must be difficult. I think I would have a hard time feeling the full time responsibility of others’ salvation. Of course, it’s not your job to “save” others—the Savior is the only one who can offer us salvation—but I do think it would be difficult to feel the constant responsibility of sharing His truth. It’s probably especially difficult when there aren’t many who want you to share with them. I want to do better at sharing this responsibility with the full time missionaries.
Brother, I also have a hard time with the idea of “the elect” when applied to missionary work. You have used it to describe those who are ready to hear the gospel, who accept the missionaries into their homes. Christ talks of the elect in Matthew 24, saying that in the last days even the very elect shall be deceived by false prophets. He also says that he will gather his elect from the four corners of the earth. Does he mean “the elect” are those who have accepted the gospel in the last days, or is he also talking about the righteous who will/would have accepted it as well? There seems to be some disconnect between Christ’s usage of “the elect,” and how many modern Mormons use the term. I feel like there are so many good people in the world who are not members of the church. And, perhaps a lot of these people have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel, but for one reason or another turned down a visit with the missionaries.
JD, I wonder if I hadn’t been born into the church and the missionaries came knocking on my door if I would be “too busy” or unwilling to let a couple strangers in my home. Of course I’ll never know the answer to that question, and I am very grateful that I was born into the family that I was and had such great influences in my life to help me gain a testimony of my own. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know that this church is true. I am so thankful that I know that God knows each of our hearts and will judge us accordingly. He knows “the elect” that he will gather, and I don’t really have to worry about who they are. I just hope that I, other members and missionaries alike don’t make too many distinctions because we can never really know the hearts of others.
Anyway brother, I sure love you. I hope you are doing well. It’s hard to believe that you are a quarter of the way through your mission. I think of you every day and pray for your wellbeing and your ability to find those who are ready to let Christ in their lives.
All my love,
MJ
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