The Williams Family

May 2, 2011

Dear Grandma,

In conversation we often say the words, “I love you,” but it’s nice to have the opportunity to write my thoughts for you on paper.

The other day I was thinking of my earliest memory of you. I seem to remember a time when you took Dyonne and me (perhaps Helen too) clothes shopping on YOUR birthday. My mom made a big deal, which I appreciate, of how you were thinking of us and wanted to share with us even though it was your birthday. As a young child that seemed to be quite the self sacrifice as birthdays were supposed to be all about “me.”

I have a lot to be grateful to you for, my existence for starters. I feel, however, most grateful for your efforts to help me prepare directly before and after my mission. Your time and influence during those critical periods of life made a lasting impression on me. I’d like to share with you some of the lessons you taught me and that have stuck with me.

First: you prepare to work by working, not by lounging around. Without your influence I would have thought that since I would be working for two years as a missionary, I should take as much free lounge time as possible beforehand. Your approach was very different. It seemed as though the more I would be working as a missionary, the more I should start working now to prepare to do that work. You were right. Serving as an effective missionary required great effort. I’m grateful that you helped me lift my expectations by encouraging and putting me to work beforehand.

Second: it’s not who’s right, it’s what’s right that is important. I can still hear you saying this to me; I’m grateful for that. This phrase, along with your actions to back it, has helped instill in me a search for truth and knowledge. I feel to my core a craving for understanding correct principles. Additionally, I hope to have gleaned the other part of the message – a disinterest, especially in my relationships, in proving myself right. I find myself more ready and able to seek and take correction, which I know is due in part to you and your teaching this principle. I’m grateful for this.

Third: “I know how to do that.” Since we’ve been married, I’ve impressed Emily over and over by the many things I know how to do. I’ve known how to paint our house, fix a leaking pipe buried three feet deep in our front lawn, plant a garden, tile our kitchen floor, change our bathroom faucet, hang ceiling fans, etc. I tell her all the time that I’d like to build our home one day, and I think I actually can.

The truth is that I had never done most of these chores when first put to the task. When working for you I never knew what task I was going to be up against on a given day; most of the tasks I performed I had never done before. From these many experiences I’ve grown confidence in my ability to figure things out. I’ve also learned that if you’re committed to doing a good job, steady and careful work will go a long way. I’m thankful you hired me to paint your house, inside and out. I’m thankful for taking down and setting up your computer; I’m thankful for hanging your chandelier; I’m thankful you asked me to fix many different things around your house, most of which I can’t remember.

Fourth: “Follow the prophet.” This phrase represents your deep commitment to living the gospel. I’ve never heard you try to mold the gospel to fit your life, but have been willing to mold your life to fit the gospel and to follow the prophet. I hope and plan to follow your leadership on this point.

I started by referring to your influence on me directly before and after my mission; as I continue to serve the youth of the church I become more convinced of how important serving a mission is. I am equally convinced that an under prepared missionary will be much less effective, and have a much less meaningful experience than one who has devoted time to preparation. I have also seen how critical the weeks and months directly following a mission are, as the newly returned missionary tries to figure out how to live the gospel and integrate into society as a civilian. I am so thankful, more than I feel I can express in words, that you were able--offering time, love and personal preparation--to help me launch and land as a missionary. I have said countless times that my mission not only changed my life, but the life of my posterity forever; in a very real, direct way you helped make my mission what it was.

I love you Grandma. I’m thankful to know you. I’m thankful for the life you’ve lived and the legacy you’ve passed to our family. I hope to follow your example and to show my appreciation by the life I live.

Sincerely,

Nate

April 14, 2011

Dear Grandma,

Happy Birthday! I love it when we get together for a family gathering and you say that you feel better now than you did ten years ago -- I hope I'm as sharp and healthy as you are when I get to be your age.

As far as what I can say to honor your life and pay tribute to the kind of woman you are - I'd have to say that the proof is in the pudding. You have raised wonderful, kind, responsible, strong, faithful children. And they, in turn, have instilled those same beautiful qualities in their children. And the goodness continues to trickle down to great grandchildren, and on and on it will go. We are all, to some extent, drinking from wells that you dug long ago as you made sacrifices for your family and devoted yourself to their nurture. Thank you for that.

I adore my own family. I feel very blessed to have been raised by faithful, devoted parents in a home filled with love and truth. I feel doubly blessed to have married into a family that provides additional inspiration, goodness, and strength. I feel blessed to excess to be surrounded by so many examples to pattern my life after. Thank you for raising that kind of family and being that kind of person.

I also want to mention how much I love watching you with your great grandchildren. It is precious the way you interact with each of them with such warmth and excitement. I can tell that they bring you so much joy. I think it is so darling the way you invite them over for sleepovers; they're all so blessed to be making memories with their great grandmother - to have that extra generation of love and encouragement. You are so good to each of them.

Thank you for your love and kindness. Thank you for your example of warmth and hospitality. Thank you for feeding us beautiful meals and for nourishing us with your wisdom, too. Thanks for your dedication to the gospel and to your family.

Hoping that the coming year holds many blessings and much happiness,
Emily Williams