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)
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| Addie, Kenyon, and Lincoln Pre-Baptism 7/27 |
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| Addie, Kenyon, and Lincoln Post-Baptism 7/27 |
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| Sister Trost, Kenyon, and Sister Mabey Post-Baptism |
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| Addie, Kenyon, and Mama Melin Post-Baptism 7/27 |
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| Happiest Hugs Addie & Kenyon Pre-Baptism |
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| Kenyon and Lincoln THEN... (middle school band concert) |
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| Kenyon and Lincoln NOW... Lincoln baptized Kenyon |
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| Simon Melin, Ammon, Else Smith, Winston Smith, and Niles enjoying some Yoda Soda, popcorn, and brownies... some of Kenyon's favorite treats! |
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| Ammon and Else |
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| Niles and Simon |
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| Niles and Simon |
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| Tawa & Emma Jeffery (Lincoln's dad and sister) |
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| Sisters Trost & Mabey |
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| Kim Strupp, Janelle and Landon Bowden |
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| Grandma Melin and Lexi getting some refreshments from Uncle Jess, Aunt Kelli, and Heidi |
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| Mingling & celebrating |
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| Lexi Melin, Annabelle Smith, and Draya Bowden |
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| James Melin, Matthew Melin, and Summer Melin |
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| Kelli, Rich, Summer, Jess, and TJay Melin |
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| Tawa, Emma, Gloria, and Krista Jeffery, and the sisters. |
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| Heidi Lynners |
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| Lincoln with Kenyon and half of Addie |
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| Sunday 7/28- Grandpa and Kenyon after his ordination |
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| 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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