Grandpa

Dear Family-

 I am so grateful I was able to talk to you and to be able to be put at peace to hear about how grandpa passed, and how you all are handling it. I am so grateful he got my letter just in time. I have told so many people about him, and how much I admire him, and the man he was and the doctor he was, his work ethic and ambition, and I will love and miss most of all his little accent and always jokingly telling me "Grandpa is the strongest, and the wisest and the handsomest!" and then he would always bust up laughing- but the thing is that he really WAS all of those things and so i loved always telling him that and seeing how it would crack him up. I am so glad I got to see him and spend time with him and grandpa last spring- i am SO GLAD  i drove up there and had that time with him and hear all of his advice to me on love, marriage, work, school and life. He made me a fruit plate every morning I was there. I will never forget that. with dates. Oh grandpa was the coolest person in the truest sense of the word- one of the most interesting and beloved person in my life. 

   I always gave him lots of hugs and he would always say, "Oh brookie is a President Kimball- always hug everybody!" I think about him saying that every time i hug people...when he did write me that line I remember i cried upon receiving it simply because it was so him- it perfectly captured grandpa- it said, "Do the spiritual work. Heal the soul. Save the soul, as your dad and I we heal the body. Love you, Gdpa" that is exactly what he wrote. I have it cut out and laminated hanging on my study desk. I cry every time i see it but i love seeing it because I love knowing and being able to tell him, ok grandpa, I will do the spiritual work! it makes me feel close to him to know I am doing his wishes. I love him so much. How grateful i am for the members here and their comfort and support- and my sweet grandma i love you i am sorry i cant be there to hug you. I know how much you loved grandpa and his "strong hands" he loves you so much too and you will see him again! in church i was asked to sing- i sang "Nearer My God to Thee" in honor of Grandpa. A sister in the ward came up to me after crying and asked if I would sing to her mother, who is in the hospital dying of cancer- I thought of Grandpa- and quickly told her "yes!!!"

This week we taught Dion the 1st Vision in detail- reciting it to him then bearing testimony and committing him to read and pray and know for himself if Josph Smith really was a prophet- that was a beautiful thing. I will never forget the Spirit there in that room! something funny- we asked him "how do you pray Dion?" (we have been teaching him how to pray) what does he say? "soft voice". It was so cool his response- i was not expecting that response! but how sweet to hear he prays in a whisper- I found that very touching. I love that boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dahhhhh. kills me.

another cool thing- we have been seeing Ann for quite some time- her husband is not a member, they are older, and he never has been willing to join or learn more. for years. well we are in that home 1x a week. we have developed an AMAZING relationship with steve ( her husband) to the point that he buys us groceries every week! well friday we had a powerful lesson with them BOTH- at the end i felt very prompted to really focus on him and speak with boldness- so i told him hopw much i love him, how we all love him, and how i know that if he will just open his heart to the Gospel even greater joys await him!! I told him all that lies in the Book of Mormon and bore my testimony of the joy that heavenly Father wants and has in store for him and his wife- i felt the spirit so strongly I cried. His wife held his hand- he struggles to show emotion (which i know) but he actually took her hand, looked me in the eyes and said, "you know I consider you a daughter" then he cried! again i asked him- then brother t- will you read the book of mormon? and pray to know its true? I wouldnt be out here testifying of it to you all the way in Florida if I didnt know it was true! he said he would. We had the Plan of Salvation lesson last night. He came to church yesterday. He is now, officially, investigating the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. what joy.

We also had a pwerful lesson with Eileen- who was just visiting her brother- the family to which i am most close to and love deeply!! she told us of her struggles- as we talked we testified to her that she was in fact a daughter of god and He had a plan for her, so if she honestly went to him in prayer to seek out HIs guidance- of course he would help her! to do anything else would be contrary to his nature- as a father and as a god of endless love- he WANTS to help his children- I  felt prompted to share Isaiah 41:10-13 when the lord says he is "holding our hand", and to "fear not, be not dismayed I am thy God and I will strengthen thee and uphold thee"she broke down in tears- because I know the spirit was testifying to her that those words were true, and they were from God to her! she received a priesthood blessing from her brother that night, for the first time, what a beautiful sacred moment that was! I grateful I was to be there and be part of such a personal tender family moment!! what a beautiful family they are. how i love them.

well- other news, i also got attacked by alabama fire ants :( i stood on an ant hill unknowigly, and then intense pain and burning caused me to look down and see ants SWARMING my feet!! I kicked off my shoes and ran screaming down the street hahaha Sis schmidt killed all the ants in my shoes and i got them off but it was funny (and painful haha) I know have 15 ant bites on my feet haha anyways family i love you. My prayers and heart is with you, mom I love you and Grandpa loved and loves you so much as his daughter!! 

all my love

sis b