Sunday, July 28, 2019

FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19


Dear Loved Ones,                                                                                                       

We have just enjoyed the sweetest weekend, so I had to record it fresh, even though I am still catching up on recording the past 3 months. Addie’s fella Kenyon Jones was baptized on Saturday 7/27, and confirmed and ordained a priest on Sunday, 7/28. 

Earlier this summer, Kenyon told Addie that if he were to get baptized, he wanted to be baptized here before he leaves for a year of working in Pennsylvania. When he came home from a senior trip to the Bahamas with his friends the second week of July, he and Addie decided it was time to start meeting with the missionaries so he could be baptized before leaving for PA on August 1st. So the sister missionaries came over for the first time on July 14th. It was fun to surprise them at the end of the discussion with a baptism date. Kenyon was still praying about being baptized, but he had a goal, so he progressed quickly through the discussions. As he prayed and studied, Heavenly Father answered his prayers and resolved his concerns through the Holy Spirit, so he and Addie planned out his baptism program for July 27th and invited people to participate on July 21st. He asked his old friend, Lincoln Jeffery to baptize him, Richard to confirm him, and Grandpa Melin to ordain him a priest. Addie spoke about baptism and I spoke about the Holy Ghost. While I was preparing my talk, I was reminded of a night back in March when I stayed up late talking to Kenyon and the spirit spoke to me about him.

I have always hoped and prayed that my children would not pair up dating while still in high school, so when Kenyon started taking Addie out several times a week, I had many red flags.I also knew that he had had a troublesome relationship previously and I just didn’t want any high school drama in our lives. I felt like maybe if I talked to him about these things, I would be able to trust him more and we could explain to him that Addie just couldn’t have a boyfriend right now and he needed to back off. The opportunity for us to talk came up late one night after watching a movie at our house. I talked to Kenyon about his standards and expectations and emotional state and we swapped therapy stories. The thought crossed my mind that his standards were not that different from ours and maybe we should welcome into our circle. As soon as my heart made room for that idea, the Spirit practically yelled at me, “This boy is in your home because he needs the gospel. Just love him.” In my mind, I argued back, as I always do (will I ever learn?) that we were trying to follow the prophet’s counsel to avoid steady dating, so he can hang out with our family sometimes but he can’t exclusively date Addie. The Spirit said, “Relax; they need this experience. Establish the boundaries and let it go.” As soon as I decided to follow that prompting and relax a little, the Spirit filled up my heart with charity for Kenyon. I got to feel for a moment the immense love and compassion our Heavenly Father has for this special son. My heart was softened and I was able to see what might be possible for him if he accepted the gospel and kept his covenants. I was able to communicate to Rich that we need to let this happen while also enforcing boundaries and protecting these special kids from the adversary. I hope we have been successful, and I hope they will continue to choose the right in their respective paths.

So the baptism was wonderful. It smooshed my heart to see Lincoln and Kenyon together in their white clothes. Kim Strupp and SIL Kelli and Heidi did a great job on refreshments and I think Kenyon felt very loved. After the baptism, we took Addie and Kenyon out to dinner on a double date to celebrate, then had a cozy evening of movies at home.

Sunday morning, Kenyon was interviewed for both ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood and a limited-use temple recommend before church. He was confirmed by Richard in Sacrament meeting and ordained by Grandpa Tom in priesthood meeting. Poor Grandpa is still so sick and weak, but he gave Kenyon a powerful blessing that taught him much about the power, authority, and responsibilities he would now have to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. He talked about how the Aaronic priesthood opens the door to the covenant path by providing the first saving ordinances-- baptism and the sacrament-- to Heavenly Father’s children. It was lovely.

This week was also Pioneer Day (7/24) and my heart was tender as I remembered all our ancestors who sacrificed so that we could have all the blessings we have today. At the close of a very emotional sacrament meeting (the Speas family also gave their farewell testimonies and Haylee played her violin), we sang this hymn I love:

Firm as the mountains around us,
Stalwart and brave we stand
On the rock our fathers planted
For us in this goodly land—
The rock of honor and virtue,
Of faith in the living God.
They raised his banner triumphant—
Over the desert sod.
And we hear the desert singing:
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Hills and vales and mountains ringing:
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Holding aloft our colors,
We march in the glorious dawn.
O youth of the noble birthright,
Carry on, carry on, carry on!

We’ll build on the rock they planted
A palace to the King.
Into its shining corridors
Our songs of praise we’ll bring,
For the heritage they left us,
Not of gold or of worldly wealth,
But a blessing everlasting
Of love and joy and health.
And we hear the desert singing:
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Hills and vales and mountains ringing:
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Holding aloft our colors,
We march in the glorious dawn.
O youth of the noble birthright,
Carry on, carry on, carry on!

I thought about how I wish Grandpa Bill were here to enjoy the day and to  give Kenyon counsel and love. I thought about the words of the song and how my paternal great great grandpa crossed the Atlantic three times and the United States twice to establish his family in the mountain west where they could worship as they chose. I thought of how the church was so tiny in Tucson when Grandpa Bill was a Bishop, they were still part of the St. David Stake. And how it’s grown so much that now there is literally “a palace to the King” on the rock they planted in Tucson. I thought of how the gospel rolls forth so steadily and quietly, and we hardly notice as we focus on our own daily lives, until a miracle like this one happens to us. Until Heavenly Father entrusts us to share His love and work with an elect son or daughter He has guided into our lives, and that person catches the vision and feel the Spirit and has the faith to act. And then we remember that we are part of something infinite and eternal and real, and no matter how ridiculous The World becomes, this stuff we do matters. It alters eternity. It makes every little sacrifice so worth it.

When I think of Kenyon’s experience and the things the Spirit shared with me, I think of this scripture:

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;  For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him...And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!...And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto  me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”
 --Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-13, 15

It makes me happy to think that Jesus feels even more joy than we do about Kenyon being baptized. It’s so amazing that the Atonement of Christ is infinite and eternal, but also individual and unique. I love that He meets us where we are and speaks to us in ways we can understand and moves us forward through experiences that make us more like Him, and allow Him to shower us with blessings, and allow us to live with Him again.

Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Jamie (& Rich & Family)

Addie, Kenyon, and Lincoln
Pre-Baptism 7/27

Addie, Kenyon, and Lincoln
Post-Baptism 7/27

Sister Trost, Kenyon, and Sister Mabey
Post-Baptism 


Addie, Kenyon, and Mama Melin
Post-Baptism 7/27

Happiest Hugs
Addie & Kenyon
Pre-Baptism

Kenyon and Lincoln THEN...
(middle school band concert)
Kenyon and Lincoln NOW...
Lincoln baptized Kenyon 
Simon Melin, Ammon, Else Smith, Winston Smith, and Niles
enjoying some Yoda Soda, popcorn, and brownies...
some of Kenyon's favorite treats!
Ammon and Else
 
Niles and Simon

Niles and Simon

Tawa & Emma Jeffery
(Lincoln's dad and sister)

Sisters Trost & Mabey

Kim Strupp, Janelle and Landon Bowden

Grandma Melin and Lexi getting some refreshments from
Uncle Jess, Aunt Kelli, and Heidi

Mingling & celebrating

Lexi Melin, Annabelle Smith, and Draya Bowden

James Melin, Matthew Melin, and Summer Melin

Kelli, Rich, Summer, Jess, and TJay Melin

Tawa, Emma, Gloria, and Krista Jeffery, and the sisters.

Heidi Lynners

Lincoln with Kenyon and half of Addie

Sunday 7/28- Grandpa and Kenyon after his ordination

The circle of bros who participated in Kenyon's ordination:
Rich Melin, Trevor Strupp, Kenyon Jones, Lincoln Jeffery,
TJay Melin, Orrin Tyner, Landon Bowden, and Joe Reyna.



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FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19

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