Jan 5,2009
To all my children –Joyce – Scott – Mark – Annette – Lee – and Eileen.
First I want you to know that each of you is very precious to me and that I deem myself extremely fortunate to have you as my children. My love for you is boundless as is my pride.
Although you are now adults with children of your own, to me you I dream of you as children standing behind the hallway door waiting to go together into the living room to open your presents at Christmas time -- To watch you riding your bikes around the driveway and shuffle-board – to gather around the kitchen table for meals – or to sing in the car on our way to summer vacations. Are these not found memories for you also?
I hit my 86th birthday on the 27th. That probably leaves me some six or seven years to go. (Grandma Gudmundsen reached 92). I know that God has protected me during my life -- from enemy shells and bullets -- from explosions which could have been fatal – and from accidents and falls. For this I am eternally grateful.
Never forget how precious family relationships are. We are bound together by eternal covenants made in the temple. These bindings are extremely strong and will weather any mistake we make save the unpardonable sin of murder. In the Celestial Kingdom we will be in a Patriarchal order – sealed together all the way back to father Adam and mother Eve. Our joy will be unbounded – reaching the infinite.
On New Years Eve I became deathly sick. Some times I thought I would die – sometimes I was afraid I wouldn’t!! But In the hospital they first diagnosed me as having an intestinal blockage – then after X-Rays a nine-millimeter kidney stone. Then after two CAT scans – no kidney stones just “unknown” causes. – So much for medical diagnoses!
When Bernice and Shafiq came down with it, it was clearly some kind of violent flue.
However the whole thing proved to me one fact – As a family we love one another and support one another. For this my cup brimmith over.
I think I will close now before my prose gets maudlin.
Love
DAD
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Dad wrote another letter on 2/8/11 that was similar to the above letter, but with these additions:
While I have had a happy life as a Physicist-Engineer, my secret longing is to be a composer of classical music. Music is the expression of the soul and inner beings feelings – longings—and hopes.
I was fortunate to have married far above my own level of goodness and spirituality. Your mother is truly an angel in disguise.. If each of you will emulate her you will be eternally happy.
I pray nightly for each of your safety and happiness.
Love
DAD
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