July 24. 2016 (Letter to Kennedy)

Kennedy, how's it going? I have been wanting to email something specifically to you for quite some time now, but have not gotten around to it. Missionary work is very demanding of time and energy. listen, I heard that you have a job now... I've also heard that you are keeping up with it very well. That is awesome Kennedy! Think of this, you have a job before your older brother does. You'll have to help me figure out how to fill out an application and prepare for my job interview when I get home. for real though, I have never had a Job interview, nor have I ever filled out one of those applications. Way to go! I have been hearing that you are begining to practice driving. That is so cool, I am likely going to need to learn to drive again after my mission. You'll have to let me know how that is going some time, email me more often please, I want to hear from you. How was school, I have always been stressed out about school, and the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing has always been a scary thing for me, I just always avoided it for the most part. Especially after I liked a girl for over 3 years in Junior High and highschool and then at the end I just found out that she didn't like me at all. That was a hard time for me. But I laugh at it now, as I realize that it was such a trivial thing. The understanding that I had at the time, about life, and about the gospel, was nothing compared to what I would find out here on my mission. My eyes are only beginning to be opened to a Gospel that is as Eternal and Infinite as it is Simple. I don't know how much you are thinking about spiritual things at this point in your life, I mean, you have so many things going on. No doubt the life drama continues, even out of school, social media constantly intervening, and the struggle to understand why mom and dad do the things they do. The boys, the work, rude people, and a myriad of other worldly districtions. No doubt you somtimes wonder why your brother is off doing something for this church which seems to restrict you so much at times. Some of the things in the church maybe sound quite silly, or even dumb. I get it. This world offers so many treasures, they come in many forms, but so many of them are not lasting. I have learned a lot of lessons on my mission, and because of it, I have found so many of the treasures of the gospel that I otherwise would not have found, treasures which will last forever. Think of some of these treasures which you have found. You have a testimony. You truly have felt the spirit touch your life, and you know that you truly are a daughter of God. The world teaches that this is nonsense and that we're not really important, but that we are simply just another person, living in this hell we call life. But that is not true. Only the Devil, only Satan would want you to think that You can't really improve, that, there's no progressing, and that you are not actually of any worth to God. Only The Devil, the Father of Lies would try to convince you that you are not worthy of God's love, and only the devil would try to convince you that God is not what you should seek for to find happiness.¨ Why would he try to convince us of this? Because he knows HE can't improve, HE can't progress! He's a miserable man, bound by Eternal limitations, and he wants you to feel miserable too. Well don't fall for that! With the Gospel of Jesus Christ, We CAN improve, we CAN progress. And the Great thing about the Gospel, is that we get Credit for Trying! Even when we don't always succeed.¨ On my mission I have heard again and again the voice of the spirit, never an audible voice, but a voice to my heart, and often it was sooo quiet that without concentrating on hearing, I would have missed it. I have learned above all other things that our Heavenly Father is a real Being. And that His personallity is one that is very fatherly, for He is our Father. His Love is perfect, His Forgiveness is Perfect, His Mercy is perfect. Do you think that if you came running to God and said, "Dad please forgive me" do you think He would say, "get out of my sight, you terrible child" do you think he would say that? because the answer is that He wouldn't do that, absolutely not. Our Father in Heaven knows us better than we know ourselves, and He only He has the capasity to completely correct the wrong, and repair the broken, and heal the wounds that we recieve for other people, as well as from ourselves and our own mistakes and yes sometimes our own stupidity. We do some pretty dumb things as children of God, and these things make us feel like we don't deserve to receive God's forgiveness because we have brought some of these things upon ourselves. But God only asks that we "come to me that I may heal you". Guess where that was found... Book of Mormon. And the spirit has testified to me that this scripture is true, therefore I know that it is. If anybody ever denies this, then I invite them to find out for themselves, and read it, and pray to know. Kennedy, I hope that this letter to you will answer a few questions that you have had recently or maybe have been praying for. I simply leave you my testimony that I know the Savior Lives. I love you Kennedy! Your Brother, Elder Connor Dean