A Tribute to my Grandpa
Today is the 100th birthday for my
grandfather. Though he passed away twelve
years ago, last night we had a family dinner in his honor and shared thoughts
remembering him. His final several years
were difficult ones because he had severe dementia, and his mind faded long
before his body did. As I visited him in
his care center over the final years I was impressed by his ability to keep a positive
attitude even though there was so little he could understand around him. He was an incredible example of patience and
endurance and not becoming bitter amidst life’s challenges. The words of Alma to the people of Ammonihah
describe him in his final days: “Humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of
love and all long-suffering” (Alma 13:28).
I was
reminded last night by my aunt of the testimony my grandpa left me when I went
on my mission. He could speak little at
that time, but my aunt elicited these words from him:
Dear Morgan:
Work hard
Study much
Keep the faith
Keep your chin up
Prayer is good
I know you’ll do well. I love you.
Those are simple injunctions and yet powerful words to
live by. What can we not accomplish in
life with prayer, study, hard work, a positive attitude, and faith in the
Savior? His life was one in which he did
those things in his own quiet, unassuming way.
He was usually smiling and always working hard at something. One of the themes of the conversation last
night was also the way that he was always willing to work with and help his
children, whether it was going the extra mile with school projects, or spending
countless hours building a homemade kite. He never wanted the limelight—you could apparently
hardly get him to say a word in church—and yet he was always willing to help
and serve his children.
After
hearing some of those stories, my son came running up from downstairs and
begged me to come build a little slide for the kids out of Omagles. I was very tempted to tell him that it was
time to go, that we could do it another time, that we needed to get home at a
reasonable hour because we had Church in the morning, but I thought of my
grandpa and realized that spending those fifteen minutes with him were more
important than any of my excuses. We
built it and they enjoyed it for a few minutes, and I’m sure he didn’t think of
it much more than that. But my hope is,
to paraphrase Jacob, that when he thinks back on his childhood and his father,
he will remember not a father who was always too busy but will look rather “with
joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning [his] parents” (Jacob
4:3). My grandpa will not be remembered
for accomplishing great things by the world, but his family will remember him
for his love and devotion to them, and surely that will matter much more to the
Lord for all of us when we stand before Him.
President Nelson told us as missionaries in the MTC many years ago that
the success of our mission will be seen in the Christlike attributes in our grandchildren;
I think that measure of success for my grandfather’s life is equally valid and
of far more importance than any mortal metric, and I hope that I can do my part
in bringing that success to him, that someday I might merit those same words of
Alma: “Humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering.”
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments: