2nd Nephi, chapter 22 verse 2

Oh hi kid,

I, of course, have been mindful of you since our call today. I wish it had been more of a surprise. But the church had been warning us with letters and articles, I had been reading about other missionaries coming home. I couldn’t even pray that you wouldn’t get sent back, I hoped it but as usual I prayed for your investigators, your protection, and your health. So it’s hard for me not to take the news as answer to prayer or at least the way God has decided to keep you healthy for us, for now.

I’m sure that this is incomprehensibly frustrating for you. You have been singularly dedicated to your call, you’ve been focused and true, and you’ve been obedient. I know that you’ll be obedient as you step into this next part of your life. 

There’s so much dad advice I want to give you, but I’m pretty sure you’re not looking for that right now. I probably can’t even relate anyway. I was also an obedient missionary, I also worked hard. But As I closed my service I was ready for it, even looking forward to it. You haven’t had the opportunity to prepare yourself for it, so I’m sure it’s mostly shock for you right now, and I could tell you are neither prepared or looking forward to it.

You’re brothers did find a bright side to this Covid 19 lockdown for you. It may be little consolation to you but they found it amusing. There won’t be a big embarrassing crowd at the airport, we won’t have a giant party the Sunday you get home. By the time you do report, there will be severe there’s reporting too. They’re not sure if the should admit it openly, but they seem pretty excited to see you.

I heard the Calls (older couple from our ward) were coming home, and Justin Averrett too. I haven’t heard about Jakob Carver, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

I’ll probably annoy you with another letter tomorrow, full of things designed to make you feel better. Just know that while we are disappointed because you are disappointed, we know you have served a valiant mission. I know that you accomplished what you were supposed to accomplish. I think of your experiences with Jing and I think how rare of an experience that was. I think of Brian’s Testimony (is that what that talk you sent us was called?) and how you came to do what you were preordained to do. 

To close, I’m going to send you the letter you sent me when you found out I had lost my job. I only send it because it was such great comfort to me. I have read it many times and As I reread it today it has given me comfort again, it hope you head your own words

Sure love you kid,

Pops

Hello.

I wanted to send this before my usual weekly email. First, let me just say that I have not been emotionaly impacted by the news that you sent, or at least not in any way that is making anything more difficult out here. I am still in a fine mental state.

Second, although it may be annoying to hear such things coming form your child, I wanted to just send some short words of comfort. Usually I don't like to send emails like this, because I know that I, personally, find them to be super annoying and would never want to read them, so I hope that this one doesn't have that effect on you.

When I got the news, at first, I was a bit shocked, I'll admit. But, I thought of the things I always do when times get hard. Shockingly, it's not always sunshine and roses out here on a mission, and I discovered fairly early on at the MTC that turning to the scriptures is the best way to help when I'm feeling overwhelmed. One verse that I found around that time has become a bit of a rallying cry for me, that I think of whenever I'm struggling. It's in the Isaiah chapters of 2nd Nephi, chapter 22 verse 2: 

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."

I really like this verse. It has brought me a great amount of comfort, and I hope it will do the same for you. "I will trust, and not be afraid..." Those are powerful words, written by a prophet centuries before the coming of Christ.

The second thing that I keep in my mind during times of difficulty are the words of the hymn: "How Firm A Foundation." This hymn fits in very well with this theme of "trusting" and "not being afraid," but three verses, in particular, ring this theme out, at least to me.

3. "Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause the to stand, upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand."

5. "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine."

7. "The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, I'll never, no never, I'll never, no never, no never forsake!"

Those words have brought me much joy and comfort, and I hope that they can do the same for you. Just know that I am praying for you way out here, and that I know that, with faith, you will overcome this trial.

我爱你

-赖长老

P.S. Please tell me that I will still be coming home to Utah.